The Asylum
by xDaniellax
Summary: Behind these walls live the insane.  Lost within their own minds; they have no knowledge of the outside world.  It is within these walls that Higurashi Kagome will discover exactly what it takes for the once proud Lord of the West to become one of them.
1. Prologue: Death of the West

A/N: Well, I orginally posted this on Dokuga but I wanted to see if it would do well here too. This is a tragic, dark and emotionally draining story that will take a lot of time to get through. Please be warned that this first chapter deals heavily with death and mutilation of children. NO ONE, I repeate, NO ONE under the age of 18 should be reading this story. If you are, turn around right now. Reviews are appreciated, I will, however Ignore any and all flames.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the character associated.

Prologue: Death of the West

He _knew_. Even as he sped through the sky with all the power he could summon he knew it was too late. He felt it in his body, mind, heart and soul. _They_ were gone. And yet; despite the fact that he knew all of this, he refused to accept it. His mate was strong enough to defend their home and if by chance she was not capable his sons, though young, would have taken up the task with honor. All he could do was hope the feeling in the pit of his stomach was wrong and the beings he cared most for in the world were safe.

The scent of blood and death assaulted his nose as he descended from the sky on the outermost edge of his home. The mutilated bodies of his soldiers littered the ground like sheets of paper as he carefully made his way closer to the main court yard. As he moved he kept careful watch for even the _slightest _sign of movement from anyone but the grounds were eerily silent; even the birds had stopped singing. He rounded the corner and nearly came to his knees with what he saw. Hanging by the neck of an ancient cherry tree was his first born son and heir. His blood ran cold as he took in the sight before him. It wasn't enough that the boy had been hanged; the vile bastards who committed the act had split him open from the center of his chest down to his groin. The organs that once supported his life were strewn across the ground with the exception of his intestines. _They _had been used as the noose that would display his son for the world to see.

With the greatest care possible he removed the boy from the twisted display that was obviously meant to rattle him to the point where he wouldn't go forward. For a moment it almost succeeded. He pulled what remained of his eldest son closer to him not caring about the blood staining his clothes. He _wanted_ to shed tears but they would not come. He gently laid the boy upon the ground and spared him one final glance before continuing on the path of death and destruction in search of his mate and remaining children.

It didn't take him long to pick up the scent of the ones he was looking for. His steps quickened as he entered the vast courtyard that had once been his mate's favorite spot. Images of her among the flowers and trees playing with their children came streaming into his mind as he stepped further into the area. What was once a beautiful, flourishing courtyard was now nothing more than a blood soaked battlefield. His keen eyes came to rest on three beings lying close together at the edge of the clearing and he found that his steps faltered. He wanted to rush forward and see if they were safe. He wanted to hold them in his arms and tell them that it was alright. He wished to promise them that nothing would hurt them. But through his wants and desires he knew that there was no point, they would not hear him now.

Step by ever painful step he made his way to the very spot he did not want to go. As he drew closer he realized that they too had suffered the same dishonor that his eldest had. He trained his eyes on the closest form to him; his second son. So alike his mother the boy was and yet so different. Had he not already known the scent of his blood he would not have recognized him in at all. Gone were his tiny hands and feet and nothing more than bloody stumps were left in their place. His once sparkling violet eyes that shone with love and respect had been removed and left to rest inside his mouth.

He couldn't look anymore. He turned away quickly and focused on the next form lying upon the ground. His youngest son. No more than 3 winters old and yet in this moment he seemed so much smaller. His body was curled and twisted into the fetal position; an involuntary reaction to the flames that had charred his body. It was a painful death and for the first time he allowed a single tear to escape his eye as he thought about the suffering of his children before their deaths. They did not deserve this. Even when fighting the most dangerous of enemies he never went after children. His hatred for another would never be so strong as to cause the suffering that was now being inflicted on him. It was true; he had many enemies who would stop at nothing to gain what he had but he never believed any of them capable of this horror.

A slight movement in the corner of his eye drew his attention to the third and final body lying upon the ground. His mate. His resolve finally crumbled when he saw her form and he couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Her long, golden hair was drenched in blood as it fanned out upon the ground. Her face was marred by several deep slashes and the three tiny stars that once adorned her forehead, a symbol of her great heritage, had been removed. His eyes travelled down to see that both of her breasts had been removed and tossed away like trash. He could not help the vicious snarl that escaped his mouth as he took in the sight of her swollen belly; confirmation that he had, indeed pupped her again before he left for war. The pup was long dead, he was sure and that knowledge finally brought him to his knees beside his mate. The stench of several other males lay heavy on her body and his fury grew tenfold. She had been defiled before they killed her and he wondered in horror if his children had been forced to watch. He gave a silent prayer hoping they had at least been spared that indignity.

With shaking fingers he reached out to gently stroke the cold, bloodied skin of his mate's cheek. He did not want to remember any of them like this. The last memory he had was of their smiling faces and wishes for a swift return and a successful journey. He remembered the love that was present in his mate's eyes as she pulled him to her and bestowed what was quite possibly the most passion filled kiss she had ever given him. In that moment he had almost decided to stay but his honor and duty reminded him that he had to go. After assuring her that he would return to them safe and sound he turned and left and it was those final images that kept him going during the long months of war. Now, all he would remember was the sight of their bodies lying dead upon the ground.

With the softness of one who was picking a delicate flower in a field, he leaned over and pulled his mates' body from the ground and cradled her to him. He felt her head come to rest against his chest and he gently laid his cheek on the top of her head. How long he sat there and cried he did not know, nor did he care. He cried for his mate, for his children, he even cried for his soldiers who had given their lives to defend his home. He cried for himself knowing that he should be lying here with them waiting to meet them on the other side. He was shamed. He had failed them all. They counted on him to protect them and he failed. He contemplated taking his life in that moment but knew he would never see them again if he did. Suicide was dishonorable and heaven had no place for cowards. He would have to wait for death to come to him. Be it by time or battle he would live to die and see his family again.

He composed what little was left of his sanity and slowly began to pull away from his mate. He gazed down into her face one last time before gasping in shock at the pair of now dull, green eyes that were looking into his golden ones.

It was not possible…?

"Chiyoko…" he breathed out; his voice barely a whisper on the wind.

The pair of eyes blinked slowly. She was alive…barely. He set her back on the ground and gazed hopefully at her face; knowing he had only moments. He watched as she drew in a painful breath and parted her dry lips in an attempt to speak.

"Do not…you must save your energy." He told her softly and she looked at him with eyes filled with confusion and fear.

Her eyes left his and came to rest on her stomach. Silent tears came streaming down her face as she looked to him for assurances she knew she would not get. All he could do was shake his head in response to her silent question and watch as the tears poured harder down from her eyes. He swept his thumb across her cheek in an effort to offer some sort of comfort; it only made her cry more.

"Forgive me…" he begged of her "Forgive me for failing you all…"

A shaking, blood covered hand settled itself on his lips in an attempt to silence him. He took the hand into is and held onto it as though it would fall apart should he let it go. He watched as she took what was most likely going to be one of her final breaths and offered him the only amount of comfort to his aching heart that she could. She smiled.

"_I love you…_" she whispered and she watched his eyes cloud with unshed tears.

"And I you." Was the only reply he could muster.

She smiled again before closing her eyes a final time. The hand that he had been holding grew limp and her head tilted to the side as her last breath was expelled from her lungs.

The roar that tore from his throat echoed through the land with a force never before seen. It was filled with pain, agony and defeat and all those who heard it bowed their heads in silent prayer for the grieving soul.

In that moment the once proud Lord lost all sense of himself as his mind finally snapped into despair. With one last glance at his mate and children the broken and defeated Western Lord rose to his feet and headed towards the mountains. He would swiftly become nothing more than a faded memory lost to time though none would forget the day that the most feared demon in all of Japan lost everything that had mattered most to him. No one would dare forget the day the Western realm fell from grace. Tales would be told from generation to generation of the great and terrible Lord Sesshoumaru and his descent into madness.


	2. Echo From the Past

A/N: Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed chapter 1. It's going to take me a few days to upload all of the chapters to catch up to where the story is on Dokuga but I'm going to try and post a chapter a day till they're all up. Again, reviews are greatly appreciated but I will ignore any flames.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

Echo from the Past

Higurashi Kagome sat patiently inside her car outside the gates of her new job while they verified her information. It never ceased to amaze her that after all of the education she put on hold as a result of her time spent in the Feudal Era, she had managed to do quite well for herself. 8 years had passed since the defeat of Naraku and her subsequent return to the modern world. When she first realized that she would not be going back to see her friends anymore she didn't know what to do with herself. It took her a while but once the sadness and depression passed she decided it was time to move forward and make something of her life. She had managed to scrape by in middle school and she vowed to do better in high school. 3 years later she graduated at the top of her class with several offers to attend some of the most exclusive universities on a full scholarship. She finally decided on The Institute for Psychology, University of Tsukuba. Founded in the mid 1970's, it was originally part of the Tokyo University of Education. They offered a wide variety of study from: experimental psychology, educational psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, and clinical psychology. She opted for clinical psychology in hopes of one day opening her own practice. She wanted to help people recover their lives and that was what had her sitting outside the gates of the Tokyo Asylum for the insane.

Kagome would admit that this was not her _first_ choice to begin her career with but she couldn't deny that it was a great honor. The Asylum only accepted one new doctor every 5 years because of the nature of the facility. They didn't want to upset already unstable patients by bringing in new faces every couple months. Hundreds of candidates would submit their names and out of all of them, only one would be chosen. This year it was Kagome.

She focused her attention back to the compound before her. Honestly, the place looked more like a prison than a home for the insane. 15 foot walls with thick ribbons of barbed wire over the top surrounded the outer edge. 2 security towers holding 4 guards each stood tall at the gates. From what she could see beyond the gate there was a vast, open courtyard with a few trees, sitting benches, a small basketball court and another set of guard towers. It looked…lonely. Looming in the distance was an impressive, 5 storey building which she could only assume was the asylum itself. It was an imposing building and for the first time Kagome felt nervous.

"Higurashi-sensei you are clear to go ahead. You are going to follow this road all the way around to the back parking garage. Here is your security pass for the garage. We have called ahead to the front desk and they are expecting you. You will receive your key card for the doors and Onishi-sensei will be waiting." The guard told her while handing her a form to sign and her garage key.

Kagome smiled at the guard and offered her thanks before heading off to her destination. It took nearly 5 minutes more to reach the garage and then another 5 to find her assigned parking spot. She quickly composed herself, grabbed her suit jacket and headed off to the main door. It took only minutes before she found herself in the center of the asylum waiting for Onishi-sensei to return.

Kagome made careful observations of everything she saw the minute she entered the building. It was quite a contrast to the lifeless feel that the outside world gave off. The halls were decorated with bright pictures and instead of the standard white; they had been painted a soft, comforting yellow. Several large plants were placed throughout giving the place an almost home-like feel. Every staff member she passed offered her a wide smile. She noticed that there were patients in the halls and they were gazing at her curiously. She smiled back at them and continued on her way. When she reached the front desk she was greeted by a bright eyed, red-headed receptionist who informed her that Onishi-sensei would be back in a moment.

She tried to remember everything she had learned about Onishi Susumu. He was one of the most gifted psychologists to ever come to the asylum. He had a way of being able to reach even the most detached and disturbed patients. Onishi-sensei had a rehabilitation rate of nearly 50%; for the world of psychology that was a lot. Almost half of the patients he saw were able to recover themselves and go on to lead normal, productive lives. Kagome was honored to be working with him and she was positive she would learn a lot in his care.

"Higurashi Kagome?" A voice called out from behind her.

She spun around to see a short, dark haired, middle age man standing behind her. She bowed low and offered him a wide grin.

"Hai. I am Higurashi Kagome. It is an honor to meet you Onishi-sensei."

"Welcome to the Tokyo Asylum for the Insane. If you don't mind I'd like to show you around and get you set up right away. I've got a few difficult patients that I need to see this morning and it doesn't do well to get them off schedule."

"Lead the way." Kagome replied and the two were soon off exploring.

They asylum, Kagome learned, was made up of 3 different patient floors, one floor dedicated to the staff and another for recreation. The first floor was for the most docile patients. Each patient had their own room with a bed, bathroom, a dresser and a window view of the courtyard. The object was to make each patient feel as though they were at home, while removing anything that could be potentially dangerous. There were no wires, cords, hangers, pens, or anything else that could be used to harm themselves or another. These patients were allowed to move about on the floor and had free reign of the recreational room as long as they informed an orderly where they were going and reported back to their room for their daily session with their attending sensei on time. This floor was also the most populated. Onishi-sensei informed her that about 70% of the cases that came into the asylum were people who had, had nervous breakdowns at some point. They were good, honest, hard working people who had simple lost their way and needed a little help getting back. He also explained that this was where she would be spending most of her time, at least in the beginning.

The second floor was the minimum security floor. Unlike the first floor, these patients' movements were completely supervised at all times. They were only allowed out of their rooms for short periods during the day and they always had to have someone with them. While they were not completely deprived of all comforts, Kagome noticed that the rooms were not as inviting as the others. They only had a bed and a bathroom available to them. They were provided with a clean set of clothing everyday as they could not be trusted with a dresser. These patients were often deeply disturbed and required intense therapy sessions and medication. It was rare for a patient on this floor to make a complete recovery but it sometimes happens.

The third floor was for the staff. Onishi-sensei showed Kagome around the lounge, staff showers, lunch room and finally to her office. It was a spacious room and she couldn't wait to add her own personal touch to it to make it feel more warm and comfortable.

The fourth floor was the patients' recreation room. There were a total of three full size sitting sofas, four flat screen televisions, several shelves filled with reading materials. Along one wall was a long row of computers and Onishi explained that many of the patients did their best to further their education while they were there. It was still supervised by guards but the atmosphere was very relaxed. Currently there were 10 patients spread out around the room and much like when she first walked through the door, several of them looked to her with curiosity. It was clear that there hadn't been any staff changes in a while.

The fifth and final floor was the maximum security wing. As soon as Kagome stepped off the elevator a bone shattering scream came echoing through the halls causing her to tense up. This floor had an entirely different feel than all of the other's combined. Each room was held closed by heavy metal doors that remained locked at all times. Guards were stationed at different intervals throughout the floor. This place felt…cold.

"All of the patients on this floor are suffering some form of deep psychosis." Onishi-sensei began "They will most likely live out the rest of their lives in this building. We keep them heavily medicated for their own safety as well as the safety of the staff that treat them. It will be a while before we have you on this floor but when you meet with any of the patients here you will always have two guards, two nurses and two orderlies with you. These patients are deeply disturbed and dangerous Higurashi and they will not hesitate to attack you."

Kagome nodded weakly. Though she had been expecting to encounter patients like this she was still nervous about having to deal with them.

"Is there any hope for people on this floor Onishi-sensei?"

"Honestly, not much but that doesn't mean we don't give it our best. Now why don't we head back down to your office and get you settled in?"

"Sounds like a plan."Kagome replied.

With that the two turned to walk back towards the elevator. They were about half way down when Kagome stopped suddenly. A feeling in the pit of her stomach that Kagome had not felt in nearly 8 years was pressing down on her person.

An aura. A demonic aura.

It wasn't possible. Demons did not exist in her time she was positive of that. Yet, there was no explaining what she was feeling. Kagome focused herself and allowed a tiny bit of her own energy to seep out in search of the source. She found it shortly, residing in the room across from her. Hesitantly Kagome stepped towards the door her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Higurashi? Are you coming or not?" Onishi-sensei called out to her from the elevator.

"H-Hai I'm coming." She said. Kagome took one last glance at the room in question numbered 144 before entering the elevator and heading off to begin her day.

Had Kagome continued forward she would not have believed her own eyes if she looked into that room. Crouching low, hidden in the corner, a pair of dimmed golden eyes glanced up and stared pointedly at the door. For an instant recognition clouded his features before the images found his mind and the torment began again.


	3. I Know Your Face

A/N: Thank you to all who read/reviewed/or added this story to your watch list. I'm going to be posting two chapters today, one now and one a little later on because I want to get caught up so I can start working on new stuff. Reviews are appreciated but I will ignore any and all flames.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

I Know Your Face.

Kagome sat at her desk going over all of her notes for her next session. Working at the asylum was definitely an eye opening experience. It was also a bit hazardous. In her first month and a half she had been kicked, punched in the back of the head, bitten, spit on, attacked with a letter opener and thrown into a wall. It reminded her of all the times she was fighting demons in the Feudal Era and had her ass handed to her. Of course not all of her patients were that way, but it still made her re-think her career choice once or twice.

Her day was swiftly becoming a comfortable routine. Rounds began exactly at 7:00am in the staff lounge. Onishi-sensei would be given status updates from all of the other attendants and address any major issues he saw. They would then pay a visit to the patients on the first floor to see how their nights were before heading off to their offices to prepare for their first session of the day. Kagome currently had 10 patients on her daily schedule to sit with. Most sessions lasted about an hour but it would sometimes be more or less time depending on the patients needs. Once she was through with the therapy sessions she would compile all of her notes, tag her tape recordings and spend an hour walking through the halls interacting with as many people as she could. Most of the residents seemed to be adjusting to her being there and only one had attempted to "curse" her in the last few weeks.

It was a fairly rewarding job and she knew that she would be able to make a difference in some of their lives. At least, that was her hope. There was one thing though that always had her mind spinning and it had to do with a certain room on a certain floor. Ever since that day in the maximum security wing Kagome was ever aware of the demonic aura that was flooding through the halls. Some days it was so weak that it was easier to ignore. Other days, like today, it was such an oppressive feeling that she was having trouble concentrating. She had done her best to discover the identity of the _person_ in that room but she was having no luck. All of the files concerning the maximum security inhabitants were restricted to everyone but Onishi-sensei. There were only 4 people currently residing in the maximum security wing so Onishi-sensei spent the majority of his day with them. The saying that curiosity killed the cat could not be truer because Kagome's curiosity was getting the best of her. She had inquired to just about everyone as to who the patients on that floor were but no one seemed to want to talk. The only time she asked Onishi-sensei about it he seemed to get aggravated and told her to focus on her own patients and forget about that wing for the time being. Truthfully, she didn't understand what the _big deal_ was but whatever it was there was a reason for it. It didn't stop her from trying though.

A knock at her door brought her out of her thoughts as she glanced at the clock and realized it was time for her next appointment. She bid the knocker a friendly "come in" before standing to greet her patient.

Akimoto Kenji was a bright young man who had a lot of potential. He was also the one who tried to stab Kagome with a letter opener he stole from the receptionist's desk when she wasn't looking. She didn't hold it against him; but she needed to get to the source of the problem. This was her first meeting with him since the incident two weeks ago. Unfortunately he had to be forcibly restrained by the guards and spent some time in the infirmary with a dislocated shoulder.

"Hello Kenji-san. How are you feeling today?" Kagome began in a bright, cheerful voice.

"F-fine Higurashi-sensei." The boy said slowly.

"That's good to hear. Do you feel like talking about what happened Kenji?"

"Hai Higurashi-sensei."

"Very good. What motivated you to steal the letter opener?"

"I-I just…wanted it. It was sitting there in the open and so I took it."

"Did you know that what you were doing was wrong and that you should have left it alone?"

"I knew it was wrong…but…I didn't care."

"Okay. Did you take the letter opener with the specific intention of harming me or anyone else in this facility?"

"No Higurashi-sensei."

"Then why did you attack me?"

Here the boy hesitated. He seemed to be going over the answer in his mind before he finally opened his mouth to speak.

"You…I…"

"It's alright Kenji, I'm not mad at you." Kagome said while offering him a reassuring smile.

"You reminded me of _her._"

"Her who Kenji?"

"My…my mother. The one who abandoned me. She left me! Told me she didn't care if I lived or died! Threw me out in the thunder and lightning even though she knew I was terrified! I hate her! When I walked in here it was her staring back at me, her laughing at me and she wouldn't shut up. She laughs at me in my sleep; she kicks me when I'm not paying attention. I had to shut her up and I thought if I stabbed her enough times she would just go away! I'm afraid to go to sleep at night because I don't want to see her in my dreams! Don't make me go to sleep Higurashi-sensei don't!"

The boy fell to the floor and curled himself into a tight ball. He was sobbing uncontrollably and Kagome felt immensely sorry for the boy. No one deserved to be told by their own mother that they were hated, let alone thrown out of their home. She rose from her seat to sit on the floor next to the frightened young man. She gently rubbed soothing circles on his back in an effort to calm him down.

"Kenji, look at me." She began again in a careful yet firm tone. "She can't hurt you here, no one can. You are safe from her here. I promise you that no one will throw you out again. It's okay to go to sleep. It's even okay to hate her."

"Is it really okay for me to hate her Higurashi-sensei?"

"Mmhmm. But for right now I think we've had enough for today. Why don't I escort you back to your room and I'll send up something for you to eat. I'll talk to Onishi-sensei and see if we can't get you something to help you sleep?"

"H-Hai Higurashi-sensei."

"Come on, no more tears let's get you some food and we can talk again tomorrow." Kagome said and she stood up and extended her hand to help him up.

The walk back to his room was a quiet one and after a promise from Kagome that she would come check his room before he went to bed just to make sure his mother wasn't there Kagome left the young man in the capable hands of the nurses.

Two hours later Kagome found herself wandering the halls in search of Onishi-sensei. She was told he was down by the recreation room but he wasn't there. Another staff member had told her that he was in his office; again he was not. With a sigh she realized exactly _where_ he was and despite the fact that she was told to stay off the fifth floor she desperately needed his approval for Kenji's sleep aid. She hoped he wasn't with a patient because she would not interrupt him with something like this if she could help it, but the young man was suffering and needed sleep.

Straightening her shirt and adjusting her coat she set off towards the elevator and the maximum security floor. It seemed to take forever for the elevator to make the trip up two floors but the closer she got the worse she felt. The aura that had been haunting her since she first set foot on the floor was raging. Whoever it was, was either in extreme agony or was very pissed off.

The elevator came to a stop and Kagome waited for the doors to open before finally stepping out. The minute her foot touched the floor she felt as though she was going to pass out. The aura was so thick in the air she wondered how anyone who worked on this floor could stand it. After once again allowing a touch of her own powers to seep out she looked up to a sight she was not expecting. Several guards were rushing down the hall with weapons drawn. Kagome should have turned around and went back downstairs, but she didn't. Whatever-no, whoever was up here needed help and Kagome could not ignore what her instincts were telling her. She sprinted down the hall passing up several guards before coming to a stop outside the open door of room 144. Without regard to her own safety, Kagome dashed inside to see a scene of utter chaos playing out before her.

Onishi-sensei was being held against the wall by a pair of strong looking hands. Hands, Kagome noticed that were lined with perfect magenta stripes at the wrists. That should have been her second clue to turn around but again Kagome ignored it. 5 guards were attempting to pry the individual off the good sensei and they did not seem to be having much luck. A flash of silver hair made Kagome finally stop where she was. There were only two beings that she knew of that had hair like that. Both of them were capable of producing the powerful aura she was feeling but only one of them had magenta markings along their wrists.

_Please Kami; don't let it be him_ Kagome said to herself before doing the one thing she should not have done. She flared her miko powers in full and waited to see what would happen next.

Kagome watched as the being froze in his attacks, tensed and snapped his head in her direction. A familiar pair of eyes found hers and Kagome felt her heart stop for just a moment.

Sesshoumaru was…alive.

Kagome blinked several times just to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Each time she opened them the result was the same. There, standing before her was the Lord of the Western Lands. He stared at her hard for a minute before giving off a vicious snarl and turning his attention back to his prey.

"Higurashi!" Onishi yelled with as much force as he could "Sedative, now!"

Kagome awoke from her silent musing and reached in her pocket to fill a syringe with the drug. She ran forward and before she could even think she jabbed the end into the demon lords' neck and pushed the plunger all the way down. She took a step back and waited for the sedative to take effect. It only took a few seconds before Sesshoumaru's hold on Onishi-sensei relaxed and he slumped to the floor on his side. Immediately Onishi moved stand beside Kagome while the guards lifted him back onto his bed.

"Higurashi what the hell were you thinking? I thought I made it pretty clear that you were to avoid this floor!" he yelled at her.

"Forgive me Onishi-sensei. I was unaware of what was happening up here and needed your immediate approval for medication for Kenji."

"And the sensible thing to do was to rush into a room with a maximum security patient and stand there like a deer caught in headlights while he attempts to strangle me? You should have turned around and left immediately!"

"Again, forgive me. I…I thought I could help." She replied while bowing her head.

Susumu sighed; he couldn't _really _fault the girl. If she hadn't shown up he would be dead and he knew it. It was not his _first_ run in with the occupant of room 144.

"It is alright Higurashi, we will discuss it later." He glanced back at the seemingly sleeping demon lord before turning again to Kagome "How much did you give him?"

"The whole syringe."

"Alright, let's examine him and make sure you didn't give him too much." He said before leading Kagome over to where the guards were just finishing making sure Sesshoumaru was secure.

Kagome stared down at the face she knew so well and immediately a thousand questions came to her mind. The most pressing ones were; what was Sesshoumaru doing _here_ and was anyone aware of what he actually was? She prayed to any Kami that would listen that they did not. Kagome took a moment to really look at Sesshoumaru. Despite being a little thinner than she remembered he looked the same as he did 500 years ago. Tall and imposing, powerful and though he was sedated, he still looked frightening. Kagome noticed several fresh scars on his arms and a few that seemed…older.

"Okay, his breathing is good and his pulse is steady. I don't think you gave him enough to hurt him too bad. I wish I could say he'll sleep it off but if history is accurate, he could wake up at any time. I'll be back up in a little bit to check on him. Higurashi, come with me please."

Kagome nodded and turned to walk away when she felt a strong grip take hold of her wrist and pull her back. Kagome stared directly into Sesshoumaru's eyes, searching for any indication that she recognized him. She found nothing but confusion and…pain? The guards closed in, ready to free her but she held up her free hand in an effort to see if Sesshoumaru would release her on his own.

His gaze was piercing and it was unsettling.

"I know your face." He said causing Kagome to jump; she was not expecting him to speak.

She decided to err on the side of caution and didn't offer any information.

"How do you know me?" She asked.

"I know your face little bird. Little birdie who flew away. Your job was done so you flew away home." He said in an almost amused tone.

Kagome said nothing.

"Stupid little bird, leaving the world in darkness! It was your fault you know, all of it!" He spat as he released her arm.

Kagome backed away slowly, never taking her eyes off him. She glanced at Onishi and he motioned for her to follow him. Kagome turned her back and began heading for the door before Sesshoumaru's words once again stopped her.

"He hated you little bird. He cursed your name for all eternity. It was your fault, you destroyed him. Leaving him alone after tearing out his heart and taking it with you. Shame on you!" He yelled before the drugs finally took hold and he grew silent.

Kagome stood, unable to move. She knew exactly who Sesshoumaru was talking about.


	4. Tiny Little Lies

A/N: As promised, here's the second chapter for today. Chapter 5 tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed, they are very much appreciated. Again, all flames will be ignored.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

Tiny Little Lies.

Kagome remembered very little about the walk back to Onishi's office. She didn't register when she sat down in front of his desk or when he went off to make some tea. The only thing Kagome could think of was what Sesshoumaru had said to her. He had to be wrong; he was technically crazy after all. Yet, despite the fact she didn't want to accept his words at face value there was a little voice nagging in the back of her mind that told her what he said was true. The question was; why?

Inuyasha…hated her? Why would he hate her? Was it because she never came back? Surely he had to understand that, that was totally out of her control. It wasn't that she didn't want to return; for years after the well closed up she would go out there and try to get through. Whatever magic that allowed for her passage through time was long since gone and no amount of wishing or hoping was going to make it work. How could Inuyasha hate her for that?

The second thing pressing on her mind was Sesshoumaru's accusations. He said that it was her fault. What was her fault? What could have possibly happened after she left? Did it have to do with why he was here? For the life of her she couldn't understand what was going on. She wanted-no needed answers but unfortunately the one person who could supply her with those answers was in no condition to give them.

Kagome was brought out of her musings when Onishi returned and presented her with a steaming cup of tea. She took the cup and offered a polite nod while he rounded his desk and took a seat in front of her.

"Higurashi are you alright? You've been awfully quiet." He asked her after a time.

"H-Hai Onishi-sensei I'm fine." She replied.

"Dealing with these difficult patients can be stressful Higurashi. I would understand if you were a little unnerved."

"Really I'm alright. I just wasn't expecting…" _Him…seeing him. Knowing what he is_. "I wasn't prepared to handle the situation and I froze up."

"It's understandable but it still doesn't explain his reaction to you."

"I…I don't understand."

Susumu sighed. He really didn't want to involve her in this but what happened up on the fifth floor could not be ignored.

"He _responded_ to you Higurashi that's what I mean." Seeing her confused look, he continued on "For 2 years I have been attempting to get something out of him, anything that could help with his condition. No one knows who he is or where he is from. He was found in the mountains by a group of hikers when they ventured too close to where he was staying. He attacked them and they ran. They returned later that evening with several police officers. It took 9 of them to bring him down and transfer him here. At first he was…for lack of a better word…wild. You couldn't get close enough to him to even offer him food let alone medication without him snapping. In his first week he severely injured 6 orderlies and 3 guards before we were finally able to get enough medication in him to calm him down. Even now we keep his levels so high just so we don't have a daily display of what you saw."

Susumu paused, running his hands across his face and through his hair. He stared carefully into Kagome's face and noticed she was a bit paler than usual.

"After we managed to get him calm we couldn't get anything out of him. No name, no home; nothing. We ran his fingerprints and searched through missing persons' files and we found nothing. He won't talk to me or anyone else who has ever tried to get him to open up. Sometimes he'll talk to himself or have conversations with people who aren't there. We've caught a few names during his mindless ramblings but they mean nothing to us without knowing who he is talking about. Some days he sits in the corner of his room and cries. Other days he loses all self control and attacks the walls, himself or anything else that comes in his way. Whatever happened to him…it was bad."

Kagome's heart was pounding and she felt a little faint. Sesshoumaru really was _insane._ What happened to him? Where was the proud demon Lord she remembered? The one who feared nothing and no one?

"I still don't understand what this has to do with me Onishi-sensei" She said finally.

"You…are the first person that he has uttered a conscious word to in the 2 years he has been here. For whatever reason, he thinks he knows you. Higu-Kagome, I have to ask because this is very important…do you know who he is because for a moment up there it looked as though you did?"

_Shit. _What the hell was she going to do now? It's not exactly like she could just come out and tell him how she knew Sesshoumaru but she didn't want to lie to him either. If she told him the truth she would have a nice comfy room on the first floor and regular visits from one of her colleagues.

"Kagome?"

"I…no Onishi-sensei I do not know who he is or why he thinks that he knows me." _Damn that didn't feel right at all_ she thought.

Susumu eyed her suspiciously; he had been doing this long enough to know when someone was lying to him. Whatever her reasons were they had to be important.

"Alright I won't push the matter. I know you have regular patients to see but as of right now they're going to be assigned to someone else. Starting tomorrow you're going to be working with me to see if we can't unravel this mystery together."

"Wait…what? But you said…"She started to protest.

"I _know_ what I said Higurashi but none of that matters now. Right now the only thing that matters is the fact that we have an opportunity to help someone who is suffering because believe me when I tell you that man is _suffering._ He is in pain and everyday he moves further and further away from all help."

Kagome wanted to open her mouth and protest some more but she couldn't do it. Onishi-sensei was right; Sesshoumaru did need help. Honestly though, how was she going to help without giving up their secret? She sighed; the inner workings of a massive headache were already taking hold.

Susumu stood up and went over to the massive filing cabinet behind his desk. He pulled open one of the drawers and searched for the file he was looking for. Once he had it he turned back and handed it to Kagome.

"This is everything that I have. All of my notes, everything that I have observed for the last two years. There are some drawings in there too. Every once in a while he gains some pretty strong control and he draws. Look through that, study what you can and be here tomorrow morning at 7:00am." Onishi said while gesturing towards the door.

Kagome took the hint, bowed before her supervisor and headed for the door. She apparently had some reading to do and she wanted to be ready for whatever tomorrow might bring.

The morning came far too quickly for Kagome and she could honestly say she was not prepared to deal with Sesshoumaru at all. She had barely slept. She had spent most of the night going over everything that was in his file. Onishi-sensei did his best to interpret Sesshoumaru's reactions to certain situations but it was difficult to get a true sense of what was going when you had a patient who refused to say anything. She then tried to get an idea of what happened through Sesshoumaru's drawings but they didn't reveal much. They were stunningly beautiful, that she did note. Several of them brought back painful memories as they were pictures of those that she knew. Images of Inuyasha, Jaken, Rin and Kohaku jumped off the pages. They all had a movement to them as if they would literally jump off the paper and hug her. She then came to some with faces she did not recognize. Images of children of different ages came to life and she wondered who they were. They all bore a striking resemblance to the demon lord and she could only assume that they were his children. It was the pictures of a female demoness that caught Kagome's attention the most. Even though they were done with nothing more than a pencil they were breathtaking. Whoever this woman was she was beautiful. She had a kind face and eyes that displayed her emotions so clearly. Had Sesshoumaru found love in the past? Kagome hoped that was the case because if there was anyone who deserved to be loved, it was him.

Kagome walked into the asylum and immediately headed for Onishi's office. He had sent her an e-mail telling her to skip rounds and head right there. She was nervous…very nervous. She was trying to think of all of the things Sesshoumaru would say to her and she wasn't sure she was entirely ready to deal with it. Sure, she wanted answers to his cryptic statements about Inuyasha but at the same time she wasn't ready to hear how much Inuyasha hated her in the end.

Onishi entered his office at 7:45 and offered Kagome a wide smile. He could see how nervous she was and he could understand. Dealing with people who were as far gone as the patient they were going to visit was enough to rattle the most seasoned psychologist. He would be there with her, but more as an observer than anything; only getting involved if things got out of hand.

"Ready?" He asked her cheerfully.

"As I'll ever be I suppose." She replied.

"Relax Higurashi. They can feel your uncertainty and it makes them less likely to trust you and open up. Just be yourself and act like you do with every other patient you have ever been with and you'll be fine. Remember he may say or do things that make no sense to you but do your best to keep him talking."

Kagome drew in a deep, cleansing breath, nodded and followed him out the door to the elevator. After a short trip up two floors the two of them exited the elevator and headed off towards the room.

Sesshoumaru's aura was not raging as it had been the day before but it was still rather oppressive. He seemed to be…confused if she was reading it correctly. Kagome drew in a deep breath, relaxed her body and followed Onishi through Sesshoumaru's door.

When she walked in the room the first thing she noticed was the Sesshoumaru was free of his restraints and was pacing back and forth. He was speaking but in a tone so low she couldn't understand what he was saying. He was calm, which was a good thing.

Onishi-sensei stepped forward and gently cleared his throat in an attempt to gain his attention. Sesshoumaru stopped pacing and looked at him carefully.

"You have a visitor today." Onishi began slowly before motioning for Kagome to move forward.

Kagome took long, slow steps until she was standing next to Onishi. Never once did she take her eyes of the imposing demon before her. His eyes settled on her and she watched as he processed the information. Onishi took a few careful steps back until he reached the back of the room. It was then Kagome realized she would be on her own for this.

"My name is Kagome. Higurashi Kagome. Do you think you could tell me your name?" She began.

Sesshoumaru continued to stare.

"Would you like to sit down?" She asked him but she received nothing.

She sighed and turned her head towards Susumu only to receive a nod that said "Keep Going."

She turned back to Sesshoumaru and found that he had moved considerably closer, and that fact made her nervous.

"You do not have permission to be here." Sesshoumaru's deep voice rang out. "You must ask for permission before crossing the line in the sand."

"Who do I have to ask to get permission?"

"You must ask the Lady of the house only she can say who comes and goes."

"Do you think you could ask her for me? I don't want to disturb her."

He seemed to ponder her question before taking off to the corner of the room. Kagome watched as he had a seemingly intense conversation with the wall before rushing back to stand in front of her again.

"She says you can come but do not step on the flowers or she will punish you."

"Why don't you lead the way for me?"

Sesshoumaru reached out and took hold of her wrist before leading her on a careful path back towards his bed. He sat down and folded his legs underneath him while Kagome mimicked his actions.

"Thank you for your hospitality." She said to him with a smile.

"Hn."

_Ah, there's the Sesshoumaru I know_ she thought before continuing on.

"Do you think you can tell me your name now? It's only fair since I told you mine"

Sesshoumaru cocked his head to the side and looked at her; confusion written across his features.

"But you know my name. Everyone knows my name. They are calling it right now can you not hear them?" he replied while glancing over his shoulder.

Kagome strained her neck, pretending to listen to the voices she knew she would not hear. She knew she had to keep the show going or it could all come to an end very quickly.

"They are whispering; it's really quiet. I'm not sure if I can hear what they are saying."

"Feeble humans and your sense of hearing. Since you cannot hear them I will tell you. I am Sesshoumaru and everything here belongs to me."

"It is nice to meet you Sesshoumaru." Kagome said with a polite bow in his direction.

"Why are you here? You do not belong here you know…your job was done and you should not be here."

"What job did I do?"

"You slew the demons."

_Damnit! Some part of him is in there and remembers_ she mused before deciding to change the subject.

"Sesshoumaru, you told me before that it was the Lady whose permission I needed; what Lady are you referring to?"

"The Lady of this house. She manages the affairs of state while I am away. "

"She must be a great Lady indeed; do you think I could meet her?"

Almost instantly Sesshoumaru's features darkened and his eyes became cold and unfeeling. Quickly he stood and loomed over Kagome like a predator stalking its prey.

"It was your fault! You think you can fool me but I know the truth! You told them how to find them, told them I would be gone. Do not think I am unaware of the role that you played!" He spat before retreating to the corner. He pulled his legs tightly to his chest and rocked back and forth against the wall.

Kagome rose slowly and moved to kneel before the now trembling demon.

"Sesshoumaru it's alright, don't be afraid. We're not going to hurt you here." She said softly in hopes of calming him.

Tear stained golden eyes met soft blue ones as he drew in a shuddering breath before he spoke again.

"Can you bring them back? You brought the dead one back once before you can do it again."

_The dead one? Did he mean Kikyou?_

"Sesshoumaru I can't bring them to you unless you tell me where they went?"

A flash of red bled through his eyes and the tears stopped as suddenly as they came.

"They are dead and you are the reason they died…Miko of the Shikon no Tama."


	5. The Flower and the Mountain

A/N: Here's the next installment, if I'm feeling particularly happy tonight, which, considering the day I had is not likely, I'll upload another chapter. If not, tomorrow it will be. Please feel free to leave a review and let me know what you *think* of the story. All reviews are appreciated but it's nice to hear other's opinions too.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

The Flower and the Mountain.

Kagome was frozen. She was still kneeling before Sesshoumaru who was now wearing a very far-off and content expression on his face. For the second time in two days he had accused her of something she had no idea she did. This time he said she was the reason that people he cared about were dead. How could that be? She didn't' even know them so how could she have caused their deaths? If that wasn't enough he had all but given away her identity to people who would definitely have questions she wasn't prepared to answer.

She spared a glance back to Onishi-sensei who was looking at her with a curious and unreadable expression. He held her gaze for a moment before motioning with his head that he wanted her to continue.

Kagome turned her head back to Sesshoumaru and found that he resumed his light rocking. She tried her best to not let it get to her but everything about his whole presence felt wrong. Whoever this person was inhabiting his body was not Sesshoumaru. She found herself almost wishing for the demon who tried to kill her the first time he met her. She gave a small sigh before she decided to press on with her questions.

"Sesshoumaru?" She asked lightly

His glazed eyes moved in a lazy fashion until they finally settled on hers. There was so much pain in them and it nearly brought her to tears.

"You say that the Shikon Miko was responsible for what happened. Can you tell me what exactly this person did?"

"She was sent to do a job; to rid the world of the Shikon no Tama. Only her wish could rid the world of the thing and it was trusted she would make the correct wish. She failed in her duty. The wish she made was the wrong one." He said slowly.

Her wish was…wrong? How could wishing the jewel to disappear forever be wrong?

"Do…do you know what that wish was?" She continued.

"I do not. The little birdie flew away before I could ask her and the half-breed refused to speak about her."

_Inuyasha._ She wasn't sure she was ready for that conversation but she moved forward anyway.

"The half-breed? Who or what is that?"

Sesshoumaru chuckled before his expression darkened just a little.

"He was the ant who tried to live among birds. Always wanting what could not be his. He was a fool and I took great pleasure in reminding him of that fact."

"He was? Does that mean he is dead?" She whispered out.

"All things die in the end." He replied solemnly.

Kagome fought back the tears and was ready to inquire more before Sesshoumaru stood up suddenly and began pacing the room once more.

"Sesshoumaru are you okay?" She asked, noticing the worry lines appearing on his face.

"There is much to do. The Lady has sent me a message and I must prepare."

"What is it you need to prepare for?"

"My son is coming soon and the Lady will be angry if everything is not perfect. I must prepare the rooms and set watch on the castle. Why are you just standing there? The Lady has given us all our orders, you are included. It is not wise to anger her for she will punish you little bird!" He stated before dashing off towards his bed.

He began folding the sheets with careful patience only growl in frustration when it did not come out the way he wanted. When she felt his aura spike just a little in anger she decided to lend him assistance before he lost all control and had to be sedated again.

"Here, why don't we do it together this way it will take less time?" She asked him; a bright smile lighting up her face.

"It has to be perfect; she will not have it any other way." He told her firmly.

After several failed attempts the two seemed to maneuver the sheets in a way that Sesshoumaru was proud of. All the while he kept mumbling to himself about the many things he needed to get done before his son was supposed to get there. Hoping to learn a little about his children, Kagome began her questions again.

"Sesshoumaru is your son coming from far away?"

"Silly human. He comes from his mother. He has much to learn and I will teach him. He will be strong and one day he will rule the world."

_So, he must be thinking of a time before his son was born_ she thought before Sesshoumaru began asking questions to the wall.

"Are you certain? She has not come for many ages. She promised that she would come this time?" He asked.

Kagome stayed silent and listened to all he had to say.

"She must have a room, one belonging to family. You will see to it? Make sure it is open and has a view of the gardens; you know how she loves the gardens."

"Sesshoumaru who is coming?" Kagome asked.

"Rin is coming. She has not visited for many ages. She has come to meet her brother."

"And who is this Rin?"

Sesshoumaru smiled. The first true smile Kagome had ever seen on his face. It was almost comforting to know that he _could _smile.

"She was the flower who taught the mountain how to bend. She was the light when there was only darkness. She was there before the Lady came to me and brought the only joy to a life without purpose."

"She sounds lovely. I bet she was very proud of you."

Sesshoumaru frowned and looked down at his hands. His posture stiffened and he turned to Kagome with a fearful expression written across his face.

"I must wash my hands. There is blood all over them. Why is _their_ blood always on my hands? It refuses to come off! "He shouted; his voice rising in pitch and Kagome noticed that he had tears in his eyes once again.

She stretched out her own hands and took hold of his. She carefully rubbed them in an effort to comfort him.

"There is no blood Sesshoumaru, your hands are clean. See?"

As if to prove her point she positioned his hands in front of his face but he only shook his head.

"The blood is _always _there. It will never come off. I feel it in my sleep just like when I am awake. It is my punishment…I failed them…I failed them all and then the world became dark. I'm sorry! Kami I'm sorry! Stop yelling at me I know it is my fault! I didn't mean for it to happen! Please…please just make it stop I can't take the pain anymore!" He cried as the tears came freely down his cheeks.

Kagome felt like her heart was about to break. He was suffering so badly and she wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around him and hold him while he cried.

Sesshoumaru laid himself on the ground and cried like a child crying out for its mother. The scene was devastating and Kagome did not stop the single tear that slipped down her from her eyes and fell to the floor. It was here that Onishi-sensei moved from his position at the opposite end of the room and approached Kagome.

"I think he has had enough for today. " Susumu said before lightly tugging on Kagome's arm. She looked down at the cowering demon one final time before following Onishi out of the door. Her heart was heavy and it was in that moment when Higurashi Kagome decided that whatever it took she would do her best to see Sesshoumaru as he once was. If it took a lifetime; she would do it without question.

Kagome sat inside her office adding notes to Sesshoumaru's file. Onishi-sensei had gone off to see some other patients leaving her alone with her thoughts. Whatever she had been expecting out of her first session with Sesshoumaru was nothing like what happened. She never could have anticipated the range of emotions that she witnessed. She had studied patients in school that had, had severe breakdowns but even they were easier to understand than he was.

Sesshoumaru's emotions were like a bright kaleidoscope. Always changing and twisting. If you moved it one way you saw one thing. If you moved it the other way you saw something completely different. There was no tangible way to predict what he was thinking or feeling at any given moment. There were times where he was so conflicted and it felt as if his aura was reaching out to her; trying to seek comfort from her. And then in the next moment he was almost like himself; his personality shinning through with perfect clarity.

What frustrated her most was the fact that she obtained few true answers. The best that she could figure was that at some point Sesshoumaru had settled down and had a family. She assumed that the _Lady_ Sesshoumaru kept referring to was his mate and the woman she had seen in his drawings. A small smile tugged at her lips when she thought of him as a mate and father. Sure he was cold and often a bit cruel in the past but something told her that whoever it was that he had devoted himself to was a very special person indeed. She knew that the woman who captured Sesshoumaru's heart would be strong and confident and would possess a heart that was more powerful than anything she could imagine.

Kagome sighed again. What happened to them? It was clear from Sesshoumaru's conversation that they had died at some point but how they died was still a mystery to her. After her shift she made the decision to go to the library and do some research. Even if no one knew who or what he was now, someone knew in the past. There had to be something written somewhere that could offer some clues.

A knock at her door brought her out of the thoughts tormenting her. She lifted her head just as Onishi-sensei came strolling into her office. He handed her a cup of tea before sitting down in front of her.

"You did very well in there today Higurashi." He said after a short time.

"Thank you but I'm not sure that I was able to offer much help." She replied quietly.

"Sometimes, the first step is not to _help_ but to _listen_. Too many new psychologists out there are quick to resort to medication to solve the problems of their patients. They have forgotten how to listen to the things their patients say. The measure of a good sensei is not dependent on how many they see each day or how much they prescribe. Rather it is the one who devotes themselves fully to just one or two patients a day and takes the time to listen with their heart in order to help the individual in question. I watched you do just that today Higurashi. You listened to him. You felt for him. You even shed a tear for him. While you may not feel you were able to do much in helping to send him on his way to recovery you were able to get information out of him. It may have seemed like a lot of nonsense but there were several facts hidden within his words."

"He told us his name."

"Correct. We also know that he had a family at one point; a wife and a son at least. We also know that at some point they died and I believe it was that trauma which led to his current state. That is what we must discover and help him move passed if he is to recover who he once was."

"It's not going to be easy. He's been suffering for so long." Kagome interjected.

"It never is but it is not beyond the realm of possibility. Now, I think you've had quite a day yourself. Why don't you finish up and head home?"

Kagome smiled before nodding in approval.

"Will it-Is it alright if I check on him before I leave?" She asked.

"I suppose that will be fine. Would you like me to go with you?"

"No. Something tells me that he won't hurt me."

"Alright just make sure the guards are close. You never know what he is going to do."

"Deal."

Susumu smiled and offered Kagome a polite bow before exiting her office. She turned her attention back to Sesshoumaru's file. She once again came across his drawings and decided to pull them aside. They would be useful in the future; she was positive of that.

An hour and a half later, Kagome found herself once again on the fifth floor outside Sesshoumaru's door. She nodded to the guards standing watch and moved to open the door.

She found him lying on the floor curled tightly to himself in the exact spot she had left him in. His aura was completely calm and she could only hope he was asleep. Slowly she walked towards him and gazed down into his sleeping face. While his aura may have been calm, the expression on his face was anything but. His features were scrunched and his brow was furrowed in a tight scowl. Whatever he was dreaming about it wasn't pleasant. Kagome walked over to his bed and removed the sheet that they had spent so much time trying to fold. She draped the sheet over him and made sure he was covered. She was contemplating getting him a pillow too but she didn't know what would happen if she woke him up. His rest might not be peaceful but it was rest nonetheless. Silently Kagome bent down until she was kneeling right beside his head. Unable to stop herself, Kagome ran her fingers lightly over his cheek and carefully tucked a few stray strands of his silvery hair behind his ear. He shifted ever so slightly but continued to slumber.

Her voice was barely a whisper but she couldn't help herself…

"Sesshoumaru…I don't know if you can hear me but if you can…you're safe and I'm going to find you."


	6. In Dreams

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has left me a review and added this story to your watch list. It does make me smile considering that someone just smacked into my car on my way home from work...ugh...anyways...I might post another chapter today but not sure yet...getting close to being caught up with Dokuga so I guess I need to start writing more ne? LoL. Reviews are appreciated. Also, on a side note for those asking for updates soon, this story is updated DAILY until it is caught up. This is chapter 6 there are currently 13 chapters so you have a least another week of daily updates unless I decide to post 2 in one day. Thanks.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

In Dreams…

_The sun was hanging low in the sky; bathing the landscape with a last touch of warmth before the night would fall upon the Earth. The atmosphere was comfortable and welcoming as the creatures of the day gave way to the masters of the night._

_Nestled comfortably against his favorite tree, Sesshoumaru took in a deep breath and admired his surroundings. If it were up to him he would spend every night and day tucked away in this secluded spot. Hidden deep within the boundaries of his home was a special place he had discovered as a child. All around him were enormous, ancient trees atop soft, cool grass. Sitting in the middle was a small koi pond with wild lilies growing along the outer edge. _

_This was the place that he could come to, to escape it all. When the pressures of daily life became too much for him to deal with he always made his way here; often times not returning until well after darkness had claimed the lands. No one knew about it except her and he hoped that it would stay that way forever._

_He smiled lightly when he thought of his mate. She truly was someone that gave him a reason to stay on his toes. Her no nonsense attitude, her witty humor and her fierce devotion were just a few of the qualities that he admired about her. She was beautiful, intelligent and she wasn't afraid to get in his face when he deserved it. He would never forget the first time they fought when she stood toe to toe with him and refused to back down. She shouted at him, called him an ass and then proceeded to remind him that his hard-nosed, thick headed, better than the world attitude didn't work on her and unlike the countless enemies he had defeated in the past she wasn't afraid of him. It was that moment when he realized he had met his match and life was never going to be the same again. She would never fully submit to him and he was secretly happy for that fact. He didn't want a mate that would simply lie down and accept what society told her to do. Chiyoko would break all of the rules that had been laid down long before either of them was born; of that he had no doubt._

_A strong breeze carried with it the scent of the being currently occupying his thoughts. She was heading in his direction and he couldn't help the smirk that crept across his face when he thought of all the things he could do with her while they were secluded out here. Visions of her sprawled out on the ground, her golden hair fanned out underneath her while he sheathed himself deep within her flooded his mind. Reminding himself of her delicate condition and that he would have to be careful; he raised his golden eyes to see the one sight he would never get tired of strolling in his direction._

_She was wearing a simple, thin kimono that left nothing to his imagination. Her long hair was tied back into a low pony tail that still managed to reach her knees. His eyes came to rest on her stomach and the pride that he felt at seeing her heavy with his pup was undeniable. She was more beautiful than he could have imagined and he knew that she would be an excellent mother to their son. She had already taught him so many things that he did not believe himself capable of and he wanted his children to know the same._

"_You have been out here all day; is there something troubling you milord?" her bright voice shining with stunning clarity._

"_No. I simply wished to enjoy the peace and quiet while I can. Soon there will be little time for rest and relaxation such as this." He replied while motioning for her to join him._

_She smiled and rubbed her hand gently over her stomach before stepping closer to him. Two clawed hands extended towards her own as Sesshoumaru carefully guided her down to sit in his lap. After a few moments of shifting and getting comfortable the Lord and Lady sat wrapped in each other's embrace as the sun finally dipped below the horizon and the world was plunged into darkness._

_Sesshoumaru's hands settled over her stomach and immediately his son felt it necessary to deliver several powerful kicks to let them both know he was there. Chiyoko groaned loudly before resting her head against his chest. Sesshoumaru buried his face into her hair and reveled in the feelings it produced deep inside him. Never in his long life would he have imagined that a woman of all things would bring out emotions that his own sire had tried for years to get him to show. He was still adjusting to it all and everyday she taught him something new._

"_You seem deep in thought today milord. Have you hit your head?" she teased._

_Sesshoumaru chuckled; the sound originating deep within his chest._

"_I have not hit my head woman and I need not remind you that I do often have moments where even I will sit and ponder things."_

"_Huh, who would have thought that the great Lord of the West was actually a thinker and not just a pretty face?"_

_The affectionate yet slightly forceful nip she received on her neck was enough to tell her that her humor, while amusing, was not necessarily appreciated at the moment. She knew when she could push his buttons but apparently now was not the time._

_Chiyoko tilted her head back to stare up into the face that she had come to love so much and was rewarded when he bent down a little further to capture her lips in a tender kiss. His lips were like warm velvet against hers and soon she found her eyes closing while her whole body relaxed and melted into him. Despite the fact that he was often cold and emotionally withdrawn she loved him with all of her heart and while he had yet to say it; she doubted he ever would, she knew that he loved her too._

_Breathless and panting they pulled apart and did nothing more than to gaze into each other's eyes for minutes uncounted. Her head returned to its previous position against his chest and together they watched the night come alive._

"_Sesshoumaru?" _

"_Hm?"_

"_Why do you return here?"_

"_It is safe here."_

"_You cannot hide here forever my love."_

"_This Sesshoumaru does not hide."_

"_Then why are you here? She will find you and you should let her."_

"_There is nothing left to find. All that I was, all that I am exists here and only here."_

_The scent of blood assaulted his nose as the scene changed from the peaceful calm he had been enjoying to one of devastation. No longer were they sitting in a field of trees and flowers but upon a dying wasteland where the grass was stained red for miles to see. He looked down and found not the bright eyes that he had been staring at moments before but the cold reality of death and despair. He watched as his beloved mates body crumbled to dust and flew away on the wind. _

Golden eyes snapped open and a horrifying scream echoed off the walls in what had become his tiny home. He could smell them as clearly as he could smell the world outside. They were calling to him, begging him to find them and he didn't even know where to begin looking. He rose from the floor and ran from one end of the room to the other as the voices taunted him. He had to get out of here. They were just beyond those walls; he was positive of that.

Sesshoumaru snarled and charged at the wall closest to him throwing his whole weight at it. When that failed he turned to the one next to it and so on until he reached the door. Not wanting to be defeated by a simple matter of steel he pounded against it not willing to accept his fate. He would find them all and then the world would be right once again.

Kagome sighed as she put down yet another book. After she left the asylum she went to the library that was a few blocks away from her apartment to get as many books as possible on history of Feudal Japan. Along with that she checked out 2 dozen books concerning the myths and legends from that time period; something told the history books would be of no use to her.

She was right.

After pouring through the numerous texts for nearly two hours she decided that _written _history was a waste of time. While she was sure that they were accurate to a degree; none of them contained the information she was looking for.

With that she turned her attention to the vast collection of mythology books. Most of it seemed to be fiction but every once in a while she would come across something she knew to be fact. Several of them gave a brief mention of Naraku and the war over the jewel but none of them had information about the aftermath. In one book she had found a passage referring to "The Western Tyrant" but all it had said was that he ruled with authority and no one who stood against him lived to tell the tale.

And so she found herself still sitting on her couch surrounded by a pile of ancient books at 3:30 in the morning. Her eyes were slightly fuzzy but her mind was too awake to even begin to sleep. It really didn't matter that she had to be at work in a mere 3 ½ hours.

Kagome closed the next book and began searching through the pile for one that might hold some clues. Her eyes came to rest on _Through My Eyes: A Lesson in History._ The author was unknown and she had almost bypassed the book on the shelf but since it was in the mythology section she thought it might be useful. She skimmed though the chapter titles until she reached one that grabbed her attention. Chapter 15 entitled: _Fall From Grace: The Account of the Western Lord_ immediately piqued her curiosity. Quickly she set about reading the chapter while keeping her notebook handy.

The first few chapters didn't reveal much that she didn't already know. It spoke of Sesshoumaru's noble lineage, his quest for supreme conquest and how he aided in the destruction of Naraku. It told the tale of a little human girl and how she began to change the stoic demon from a heartless killer to someone who valued life. It also gave Kagome an answer.

_"Not much is known about Lord Sesshoumaru's life until about 40 years after the evil hanyou's defeat when it was announced to all the Lords that he was to mate. Lord Katashi, a member of a nearly extinct breed of Inuyoukai, presented his only daughter to Lord Sesshoumaru in an offer to bring the two groups together. At first, the Western Lord refused the offer saying that he had no desire to take a mate but would welcome relations with the Lord in the hopes of continuing the peace between them. His mind changed when had his first encounter with the proud Inu's daughter. On the surface, Lady Chiyoko was exactly what youkai society expected a female to be. She was polite, respectful and knew her place. Behind this mask, was a demoness with the wit and patience to tear down even the most hardened of individuals. She was beautiful and cunning and the great and terrible Western Lord knew within moments that she was destined to be his. They were mated in a ceremony before the Lords of Japan a week later._

_For 65 years the Lord and Lady ruled the West with devotion and love. Lady Chiyoko gave birth to three male heirs and it was assumed that the West would be secure for all time. Three years after the birth of their youngest the wars began again. The Lord of the South, a male who had long coveted Lady Chiyoko's attention, waged war upon the lands. It was said that his anger and hatred showed no bounds and he was determined to destroy Lord Sesshoumaru and claim what he so rightfully thought to be his._

_The accounting of events becomes a little difficult to follow but it is known that the North, East and West combined their forces in an attempt to stop the South. The battle was long and hard but in the end the South was defeated. The defeat however did not come without a price. The last known person to see Lord Sesshoumaru reported that the great Daiyoukai fled from the field of victory and sped off to the Western Fortress. When the combined forces of the Lord's allies arrived several days later the Western realm was burning and the stench of death was heavy in the air. To this day it is unclear whether the Western Lord survived the massacre or not but the remains of his mate and three children were laid to rest beside the single cherry tree that had escaped the destruction of the Western Lands."_

Kagome finished reading the last few paragraphs but not without the tears spilling freely from her face. While she had her suspicions, she was not prepared for the facts. While the passage did not give too much detail nor did it provide her with all of the answers, Kagome suspected that this was the beginning of Sesshoumaru's madness. She felt her heart clench in her chest as she thought about them all. No one deserved to see their family murdered and she couldn't even begin to imagine what it would do to a person. Well, she could imagine unfortunately because it was written across Sesshoumaru's face clear as day.

She shook herself and tried to dry her eyes of the tears that seemed to refuse to stop falling. Deciding that she was not going to be sleeping any time soon, she rose from the couch and made her way towards the kitchen to make some tea. The sound of her cell phone ringing stopped her movements instantly. Who would be calling at 4:00 am? Finding the phone at the bottom of her purse; her brow furrowed when she saw who was calling.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Higurashi-sensei, forgive me for calling at this late hour but there is an emergency with your patient and we need you to come in right away." One of the overnight nurses replied on the other end.

"Have you contacted Onishi-sensei?"

"Hai but you are closer than he is. Normally he stays in his office but he said that there was something he needed from home and left. It will be at least an hour before he can arrive here."

Kagome groaned loudly but informed the nurse that she would be there in 15 minutes. She didn't bother to change out of the sweat pants and tank top she was wearing but she did at least grab a sweatshirt before heading down and speeding off towards the asylum. Her mind was spinning as she drove while she wondered what could have set Sesshoumaru off. In record time she reached the gates of the asylum and without care to posted speed signs she flew down the road that led to the garage. As soon as she stepped out of her car she could feel Sesshoumaru's aura blazing all around her. He was highly agitated and she feared they would have no choice but to sedate him again.

Upon entering the building she bypassed every guard and orderly she came across and sprinted to the elevators at the end of the hall. For the first time the ride to the fifth floor was quick and she prepared herself for the worst.

The first thing she noticed was the sound of something heavy slamming against the walls. Her mind panicked; Sesshoumaru was trying to get out. She raced down the hall to find a group of frightened guards standing watch with guns drawn outside his door.

"How long has he been like this?" she asked the closest one.

"About an hour Higurashi-sensei. He woke up and according to what we saw on the security monitors he has been trying to break down the wall and the door ever since." The man replied.

She sighed and prayed that she wasn't about to do something stupid that could get her killed.

"Alright, when I say, open the door but keep your distance. Do not under any circumstances fire your weapons. If I can't get him to calm down we'll sedate him and strap him in bed."

"Shouldn't we wait for Onishi-sensei?"

"There isn't time. We have to get him calmed down and we have to do it quickly." She said firmly.

The guards nodded hesitantly and stepped back in preparation. Kagome steeled her nerves and made sure her aura was as calm as possible before she motioned for the guard to open the door.

With determination and resolve, Kagome stepped head first into the lions' den and prayed to the Kami's above that she would live to see the dawn.


	7. Plea from Beyond the Darkness

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews and adds to your watch list. I don't have much to say today, my sister is leaving for Italy for four month and I'm a little sad. Next Chapter tomorrow afternoon sometime so please don't ask me to update soon.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

Plea From Beyond the Darkness.

The first thing that went through Kagome's mind when she stepped inside Sesshoumaru's room was that she should have grabbed a flashlight. Apparently he had managed to destroy all of the lights leaving the room in darkness. The second thought that entered her mind was the hope that her will was in order and that her family would understand. She knew that it was suicide to enter a room with a raging demon but she really did see where she had a choice. If Sesshoumaru somehow managed to get out of his room and into the real world…Kagome shuddered. She didn't want to think of the damage that he could do in his true form. She also didn't want to think of what could happen to him if he were caught by the military. They would either kill him on the spot or lock him up in some secret facility while they did tests on him or find a way to make him their tool and unleash him upon some unsuspecting country they were fighting with. She refused to let that happen. The thought of Sesshoumaru being forcefully restrained and tested on was enough to make her heart clench painfully in her chest.

A deep, menacing growl brought her out of her thoughts and redirected her attention to the task at hand. She scanned the room quickly in search of Sesshoumaru but found that she was having trouble seeing. Another growl sounded from behind her; much closer than the first one she noted.

"Sesshoumaru?" she called out.

When she received no answer she flared her powers in hopes of determining his location. She was not prepared for the vicious snarl that erupted from behind her and she turned just in time to see a clawed hand extend out and wrap tightly around her throat. Her mind went blank and her eyes closed as Sesshoumaru slammed her against the nearest wall. Any air that was in her lungs was forced out quickly when her back made contact with the wall. Kagome dared to crack one eye open and was terrified with what she saw.

Sesshoumaru's red eyes were staring at her with disgust and loathing. His face was twisted and contorted as though he was in pain but Kagome knew that he wasn't. Well, he wasn't in physical pain at least. The grip on her throat tightened and she found that it was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe. She scratched at the hand holding her and swung her legs out wildly but they only made contact with the air. Kagome knew she only had moments before she would be dead but she hoped she could reach him before that happened.

"Sessh-Sesshou…maru…please! It-it's Kag...ome! Please…stop!" she choked out.

She felt him draw closer and lower his head very close to her face. She heard him inhale deeply before his grip tightened even more.

"Why have you broken the peace? You were told to stay away and we would not attack your lands yet you have violated our agreement!" He spat.

Confused, Kagome could only shake her head weakly.

"I didn't…I'm not here…please…I-I can…I can't breathe…"

"Where are my mate and sons? I know you took them and you will tell me what you did with them!"

"I don-I don't…know." She whimpered.

"Lies! All of it! You think you can fool me?"

The slap she received across her cheek was enough to bring forward the tears that were hiding behind her eyes. She saw Sesshoumaru raise his other hand and she could feel his powers rising to the surface. The faint glow around his fingertips told Kagome that she was out of time; Sesshoumaru was going to kill her with his poisons.

She lifted her shining eyes to his and silently begged for his forgiveness for what she was about to do. Kagome reached deep within herself and called forth more power than she had in many years. She felt it course through her body before she laid her hands on his chest.

"I-I'm…sorry." She said before she channeled her power and sent it flowing through her fingers and into Sesshoumaru.

Instantly his hold on her throat was gone and Kagome slumped to the floor. After a painful bout of coughing and struggling to recapture her breath she looked up to see what damage she had done. Sesshoumaru was lying on the ground with his back to her. Through the darkness she could just make out the rapid rise and fall of his chest indicating that he was still alive. She knew she didn't have the power to kill him and that wasn't her intent but she feared that in his current state his powers might not be as strong as they once were. With shaky legs and unsteady resolve, Kagome rose to her feet and kept her gaze on Sesshoumaru's form. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed two of the guards had made their way into the room with their hands placed over their weapons. She panicked for a moment and prayed that they hadn't seen her little display of power.

"It's alright; you can go back out into the hall." She said quietly.

"Are you certain Higurashi-sensei? We heard-"

"It's _fine_. Please just go back into the hall and wait for Onishi-sensei. I will call you if I need help."

The two guards hesitated for a moment before turning and heading back out the door. Kagome drew in a deep, cleansing breath before turning her attention back to the huddled mess of a demon on the floor. Slowly she moved around him until she was standing in front of him. His eyes were closed and his body was curled into a ball. Sesshoumaru's breathing was erratic leading Kagome to believe that he was still awake. Slowly, so not to surprise him, she knelt down until she was almost level with him.

"Sesshoumaru?"

No answer.

"Sesshoumaru it's Kagome, can you hear me?"

Still nothing.

Kagome extended her hand and made to move his long hair away from his face but the minute the tips of her fingers touched his skin he sat up completely straight. He stared at her with his now golden eyes for a fraction of a second before…

"No! Stay away! Father where are you? Father please!" He screamed before he backed himself into the nearest corner.

"Hey…it's okay Sesshoumaru. You don't have to be afraid. No one is going to hurt you here." Kagome told him in the most calm and soothing voice she could find. She stood up and once again made her way over to where he was only to watch him scramble away from her to another corner.

"Sesshoumaru I promise, I'm not going to hurt you."

"You're a miko! Father says that miko's hate demons and they try to kill us! You're going to try and kill me." He answered in an almost child-like voice. Had he…reverted to his childhood?

"Not all miko's hate demons. Some of us even consider demons to be our friends."

"Y-you're lying. Father told me and he always tells me the truth."

His voice was cracking and she could tell that he was fighting to control the tears. He was failing miserably. She could hear his ragged breathing and the light sniffing of his nose. It was…for lack of a better word amazing to see him cry. Never did she think him capable of something so simple, so…human and yet here he was a frightened little _child_ crying out for his father. Like so many other things about the whole situation it felt…wrong.

"Sesshoumaru, if I was going to kill you don't you think I would have done it already? I just want to talk to you is all."

"Why do you want to talk to me? You don't know me and Father doesn't like it when I talk to strange people. He said that idle conversation is not necessary."

Kagome smiled. _So, that is where his disdain for talking began._

"Actually, I _do_ know you or at least I did a long time ago. Don't you remember me?"

There was a long pause and Kagome felt his aura shift again. It was calmer but the rage that had dissipated was slowly building back up. Kagome fought her instincts to tuck tail and run for the other side of the room; she stayed kneeling on the floor and waited to see if Sesshoumaru would answer her.

A dark and cynical chuckle came from his direction and Kagome assumed that he was back to _normal._ Well as normal as he could be.

"You think you know me human? What is it you know? Nothing." He told her darkly.

"I know who you _were _Sesshoumaru. You were once the most feared demon in all of Japan. The very mention of your name would strike fear into the hearts of men and demons alike. _That_ is who you are Sesshoumaru you've only forgotten."

"Hn. Very astute. I could kill you now with nothing more than a flick of my wrist and I would feel nothing. I would not regret your death and I would celebrate as I cut out your heart and fed my soul with it."

"And yet, you haven't done it. Why is that? You hate humans. What is stopping you from taking my life right now?"

"The Lady would never forgive me." He said quietly.

"Does her opinion matter so much to you?" Kagome questioned.

"Hers is the _only_ opinion that matters to me. She is who I answer to not you or anyone else." He snarled.

Carefully, Kagome took a seat in front of him but she never took her eyes off him. Now that she had been in the darkened room for a while she found that she wasn't having as much trouble seeing him as she was before. His eyes seemed to bore into her head as though he was questioning _her_ sanity for sitting so close to him.

"Why are you here?"

It was a simple question, one that Kagome should have an easy answer for but surprisingly she found herself faltering. Why was she here? Why was she sitting here on the floor with a demon that could kill her at 5:00am in her pajamas when she could have simply pumped him full of sedatives a long time ago? Why was she doing this?

"I'm here because I want to be here." She answered finally.

"The Lady says that you are a liar. She says you have come to destroy the peace of our home and that you will take away our children."

"No, Sesshoumaru I won't. I just want to…to find you."

"You cannot find what cannot be found little one. You think you have all the answers yet you know nothing."

"I can't know the answers unless you tell me. I wish to understand what happened; how you ended up like this but I can't do that unless you try and help me. Help me understand Sesshoumaru. I know you're in there and part of you recognizes me."

"You will never understand!" He yelled before he stood up and walked away.

Kagome sighed; she was so close and yet so far away at the same time. He was there, just beneath the surface and he was trying to break free. If she could only get through to him…

"If Lady Chiyoko were here she would want me to help you."

It was a mistake and she knew it the minute the words left her lips. _Stupid, stupid Kagome! The idea is to get him to open up not drive him away_ she thought to herself. Behind her the demon Lord halted in his tracks and whipped around to face her. His aura was overflowing with sadness and regret and Kagome had never felt so low in her life.

"She is _not here_ is she woman? No, you made sure of that didn't you? Did you think me a fool that I didn't realize what you were doing? You come into my house and spy upon my family for the traitor. You betrayed her. She trusted you and you led _him_ right to her. "

Who…? Did he think that she was someone in his house; someone that he trusted?

"Sesshoumaru…I don't know who you think I am but I'm not that person. It's me, Kagome. I travelled with your brother and together we defeated Naraku. Whoever this traitor is, I promise you it is not me."

She saw his eyes narrow and he quickly closed the distance between them. His clawed hand reached out and roughly grabbed her chin. He pulled her face to within inches of his own and she could hear him inhaling deeply.

"No, you are not the one. Your crimes are worse. You were told that you could not be here without permission and for that you should be punished severely." He spat before he shoved her backward.

Kagome sighed again. So they were back to this were they? For every ten steps forward they made, they took another 50 back.

"The Lady gave me permission to be here, remember? She sent me to help you prepare for Rin's arrival." It was a stretch but she was praying that he could recall some of the conversation from yesterday.

Sesshoumaru seemed to ponder her words for a moment before nodding his head in a sign she could only interpret as approval. Kagome got to her feet and went to stand beside him. He was facing away from her now and she could see that far off look in his eyes that told her she had lost him.

"Sesshoumaru, would you tell me something about your Lady?" She asked carefully.

"What is it you would like to know? I am in a hurry; there are many things to prepare for."

"I know you are in a hurry this will only take a second. I just wanted to know what her favorite flower was so the next time I can bring her some."

"She is fond of all things that grow but the wild lilies are her favorite. She likes to…she often …" but he did not finish what he meant to say. Kagome could hear the familiar crack in his voice signaling he was about to start crying and she immediately regretted her question.

Sesshoumaru turned to her, his face partially illuminated by the crack in the door, and she once again beheld the sight of his tears. In a move completely unexpected Sesshoumaru sank to his knees in front of her, wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into her stomach. Tears, unrestrained and desperate to be shed came pouring out of his eyes and Kagome was at a loss as to what she should do. Should she comfort him or let him be?

She opted for comfort. Kagome laid a gentle hand on the top of his head and began running her fingers lightly through his hair. It was a move that her mother would often do when she was younger and it never failed to calm her down. His whole body was shaking with the uncontrolled sobs and still she continued to comfort him. She felt his hands tighten around her waist causing her to look down.

He was staring at her and his gaze was so intense it was almost frightening. What was he going to do? She watched him draw in another shuddering breath before opening his mouth to speak. A million things went through her mind while she waited for him to say something but nothing could prepare her for…

"Please…help me Kagome."


	8. First Memories from a Forgotten Time

A/N: Thank you to everyone who left a review or added this to your favorites list. Since I only worked a half a day today there is good chance I'll update another chapter later tonight. This story is almost caught up to where it was originally posted on Dokuga. Reviews are always appreciated and thanks for reading.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the character associated.

First Memories from a Forgotten Time.

When Onishi-sensei arrived at the asylum he was expecting a scene of chaos. Instead, the atmosphere seemed…calm. He nodded to the nurse at the front desk before heading towards the elevator at the end of the hall. He didn't allow the peacefulness of the lower floors to distract him. He knew once he reached the 5th floor things would change dramatically. He allowed his mind to wander to the patient that was the reason for this early morning visit. For years he had been trying to get information out of the man only to come up empty. Who would have guessed that the person who would get him to open up was the blue-eyed, dark haired Higurashi Kagome? He knew that there were many reasons why he hired her but the fact that she and the previously unnamed Sesshoumaru seemed to connect almost made him want to give her a raise. Almost.

Despite how well she was doing with him she was hiding something. Susumu could see it in her face with every interaction she and Sesshoumaru had. There was…recognition in her eyes and he could tell that through all of the madness and confusion, Sesshoumaru recognized her too. As much as he wanted to know the truth he knew he couldn't push the matter. When the time was right she would tell him.

The elevator slowed to a stop and Susumu drew in a deep breath before waiting for the doors to open. The minute he set foot on the floor he found himself stunned into complete silence. The guards were not clustered around room 144 but standing at their posts as if nothing was wrong. Confused, he quickly made his way down the hall before stopping in front of the closest guard.

"What happened?" He asked.

"He has calmed down Onishi-sensei." The man replied nervously.

"How much sedative did you have to give him?"

"None, Onishi-sensei."

"He calmed down on his own? I find that hard to believe." He said angrily.

"No he did not calm down on his own. Higurashi-sensei arrived here first. She-"

"You let her in there alone? What were you thinking? Do you have any idea the danger you have put her in? He could kill her and her blood would be on your hands!" Onishi yelled.

'F-forgive me Onishi-sensei but she insisted. She ordered us out of the room on more than one occasion and I must say that she did manage to get him to calm himself."

"That is not an excuse. You should have kept her away until I arrived. Go back to your post and do not move from there. I will deal with you later." He snapped before stepping past the guard towards Sesshoumaru's room.

He flung the door open without care and stepped inside the darkened room. His eyes scanned the room quickly and fell on a site that he would never have expected to see in his life. Through the faint light streaming in through the opened door Susumu spotted Kagome sitting on the floor with her back against the wall. Her eyes were closed and there was a peaceful calm about her. Susumu would have thought her to be sleeping if her hand was not lightly stroking the silver strands of hair that belonged to the sleeping man in her lap. Sesshoumaru's arms were wound loosely around her waist while his head rested comfortably on her legs. Susumu was amazed to say the least. Never in all of his rages had anyone been able to calm Sesshoumaru down without the use of powerful sedatives. He hated to disturb them but he needed to speak with Kagome about the situation right away.

Stepping forward slowly he cleared his throat softly in an attempt to gain her attention. He saw Kagome's eyes flutter open and look over at him in confusion. It took her a minute to realize the position she was in before nodding slightly. With the greatest care possible she extracted herself from Sesshoumaru's hold and let his head come to rest on the floor. _At least he's a heavy sleeper_ she thought before walking over and grabbing the blanket off his bed. When she had the blanket draped over him she stood straight and followed Onishi out of the room. They said nothing while they headed down the hall towards the elevator.

A few short minutes later Kagome found herself sitting in front of Onishi-sensei's desk lost deep within her thoughts. The encounter with Sesshoumaru had left her shaken. She had never truly realized just how lost he was until he had begged for her help. The Sesshoumaru she knew in the past would rather die than ask for _her_ help. It made her almost sick to her stomach to see how far he had fallen. What bothered her most was the lack of information she was getting. She had bits and pieces of the whole picture but none of it made any sense. Yes, she understood that his family had been killed but how she was connected to that she had no idea. Sesshoumaru was constantly accusing her of being the reason they were dead. Then tonight, he had thought she was the one who betrayed him. _What happened back then? There has to be a way to get through to him_ Kagome thought before a small bag filled with ice was set in front of her bringing her out of her silent musings.

She looked up at Onishi and offered him a polite nod before taking the ice pack and applying it to her cheek.

"Does it hurt?" she heard him ask as he sat down on the desk before her.

"No, not really." She lied. Her cheek was burning still and her throat was sore from where his claws had dug into her skin. It was a small price to pay though, he could have killed her instantly and she knew it.

"Mind telling me what happened in there and why you thought it was necessary to go in alone?" He asked her harshly.

"I'm sorry Onishi-sensei. There wasn't time for me to wait. When I got here he was so agitated and I thought that if I could get him calmed even a little bit that it would be alright until you got here. I meant no disrespect Onishi-sensei. I just wanted to help him."

"It was a foolish decision Higurashi. He could have killed you easily. Did that thought enter your mind at all?" He all but yelled.

"Of course it did! I just chose to ignore it. He won't hurt me Onishi-sensei and I think I'm starting to get through to him."

"The very prominent bruises to your face and neck say otherwise Higurashi. Make no mistake; he will kill you if you leave yourself vulnerable. It is his _nature._"

Kagome's eyes snapped towards Onishi's and she studied him carefully. _What did he know?_

"What do you mean it's his nature?" She asked suspiciously.

"When someone is disconnected from the living world like he is they will perceive anyone and anything to be a threat. They cannot help themselves. You could very well have been his own mother and if he thought you to be a danger to him, he would have killed you."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at him only a fraction but she did not get the feeling he was lying to her. What he said _was_ true but she still disagreed.

"There has to be a way to reach him behind the fog and I refuse to believe that he will see me as a threat to him after this morning." She said firmly.

"We shall see. We are going to have to sedate him in order to repair the damaged lights in his room and that may give us an opportunity." Susumu said with a sigh.

"What kind of opportunity?"

"It is possible that we can sedate him but not enough to fully render him unconscious. With his inhibitions lowered we may have an opportunity to reach him. Or rather I should say _you_ have a chance to reach him seeing as how he refuses to speak to me. I don't know if it will work, his tolerance for sedatives varies. I think if we can get him calm enough we can get more information out of him."

Kagome thought over the proposal and she had to agree with what Onishi-sensei was saying. People under the influence of sedatives were often more compliant and she couldn't deny the chance it could give them.

"Alright, when can we do this?" she asked.

"After you've slept. Go home, shower and sleep a few hours. Be back here by four and we can proceed from there."

She nodded and rose to her feet. She gave one final long glance at Onishi before she made her way to the door. She was nearly through it when the stern voice of her mentor brought her steps to a halt.

"Higurashi I assume you are familiar with the game of baseball are you not?" seeing her nod he continued "Consider this strike one. I do not need to tell you how many more chances you have. Do not go against my orders again Kagome or I promise you, you will find yourself without a job and the prospect of finding another one…difficult." He warned. He saw the stiffening of her shoulders and the curt nod of her head and knew he had gotten his point across. There was no room for mistakes in this line of work and Kagome needed to learn that one way or another.

At precisely four fifteen in the afternoon a now refreshed Kagome followed along behind Onishi as they once again headed for the fifth floor. When she arrived home she found herself more exhausted than she had been in a long time so sleep had come easily. Her dreams had been confusing as Sesshoumaru managed to weave his way in and out of them. Kagome gave up trying to figure them out after about an hour and began preparing herself for her next encounter with the demon Lord. By the time she arrived back at the asylum she had a pretty clear picture of where she wanted to start. While she was not one to normally exploit another person's weaknesses she felt that in this case it was necessary. Sesshoumaru's weakness was the one person who had managed to touch his soul and that is where she would begin.

Once they reached the fifth floor she followed closely behind Onishi. She could tell that he was still angry with her but she was thankful he was going to put it aside for the time being. There was a crew of workmen already waiting outside of Sesshoumaru's door and she found herself wondering if this really was going to work. How on earth were they going to distract him enough to get him to open up where there were half a dozen other strangers in there?

"Alright everyone listen up." Onishi-sensei's voice called out "We are going in to administer the sedative and with any luck it will only take a few minutes before it becomes effective. Higurashi-sensei and I will do our best to keep his mind occupied while you men change out the lights from the crawl space in the ceiling. We have done this before so let us not have any mistakes. At the first sign of trouble you will all vacate the area immediately until we get him fully sedated and unconscious. Is _everyone_ clear?" He finished while pinning Kagome with a deadly glare.

A round of mumbled agreements was muttered and after a few minutes more, Onishi turned to Kagome and gestured towards the door. Kagome composed herself again before striding forward and twisting the handle leading to Sesshoumaru's room.

Cautiously, she stepped inside and peered around till she spotted Sesshoumaru sitting in the center of the room. His eyes were closed but it was clear that he was awake. She walked slowly until she was standing before him once again. His eyes never found hers but his voice did.

"So, the little bird has returned. Have you come to pray for your sins little bird?" He asked in that sing-song way she was coming to despise.

"Hello Sesshoumaru. I was hoping that you and I could talk some more if that is alright with you?" She asked while sitting down.

"Will you tell me a story?" he questioned, his voice changing yet again to the child-like voice she had experienced earlier.

"Perhaps but first there is something we need to do before that."

"Are we going to play a game?"

"Not exactly Sesshoumaru but we can later okay?"

When she saw him nod enthusiastically she slowly reached in her pocket and drew out the syringe filled with sedative.

"This is…medicine Sesshoumaru. I would very much like it if you would let me give it to you."

His eyes narrowed dangerously for a minute before his face relaxed and he spoke again.

"But…I am not sick! I cannot get sick, father said so. We are inuyoukai and we are immune to all diseases you stupid humans can get. Why would I need medicine?"

_Think Kagome, think! He may seem like a child but he's not completely stupid_ Kagome yelled at herself before a smile touched the corners of her lips.

"Hai, that is true that you cannot get the diseases of humans but this…this is special medicine made especially for inuyoukai such as yourself. Y-Your father asked me to come give it to you. He and your mother have already taken it and they want you to be protected too."

He peered at her curiously for a moment before he moved closer to her. She offered him a wide smile before reaching out and taking hold of his arm and holding the edge of the needle against his skin.

"This may pinch a little but I promise it won't hurt you." She reassured him before pushing the tip through his skin and injecting the medication into his arm.

Sesshoumaru never moved as Kagome pushed the plunger down until ¾ of the drug was in his system. She carefully withdrew the needle, capped the end and placed it back in her pocket. She glanced back at Onishi-sensei who nodded and stepped out to inform the workmen that they could proceed.

"How long will it take for the sedative to start working?" She asked him as he too took a seat on the floor behind them.

Susumu shrugged. Honestly he wasn't sure. "Five minutes, perhaps ten. It is always unclear with him."

Kagome frowned and turned her attention back toward Sesshoumaru. From what she could tell through the small amount of light filtering in through the door he was already feeling the effects of the sedative. He was blinking rapidly and shaking his head to clear his mind. She saw the tension begin to leave his body and soon he was sitting lazily with a far off look in his eyes.

Deciding the time was right, Kagome dove in.

"Sesshoumaru I was wondering if you would talk to me some more about Lady Chiyoko." She all but whispered.

His clouded eyes found hers before he nodded.

"What is it you wish to know Miko?" His voice was clear and Kagome _knew_ she had the attention of the _real_ Sesshoumaru.

"I was hoping you would tell me about the first time you met her?"

His gaze became very far away before a smile appeared on his face. He settled on his back with his hand behind his head before he began his tale…

_The Western world was alive with excitement as the summit between their Lord, Sesshoumaru and Lord Katashi of the Northern region was beginning. It had been nearly 350 years since Lord Katashi had last visited the West and it was no surprise that the atmosphere within the Shiro was bright and happy. Lord Katashi, his mate and their 6 children were said to be the last their breed of inuyoukai and it was with great honor that they were welcomed into the Western Lord's home._

_Sesshoumaru stood at the outer gates of the Shiro while the entire staff waited respectfully behind him. He had to admit he was looking forward to this meeting. Lord Katashi had once been an ally of his father's and he was hoping to strengthen the bond that was once there. An enormous swell of demonic energy descended upon them and Sesshoumaru looked up to see his guests floating effortlessly to the ground. Lord Katashi was the first to step forward followed closely behind by his mate. They bowed low before him and he returned the action with a polite bow of his own._

"_Lord Sesshoumaru, it is an honor to once again be welcomed into the Western lands."_

"_This Sesshoumaru is pleased that you have accepted his invitation Lord Katashi. Would you do me the honor of introducing your mate and pups?" He asked with the utmost respect._

"_Of course. May I present my mate Atsuko?" Katashi began before he launched into a rather lengthy introduction of his never ending supply of sons. Sesshoumaru greeted each male in turn before his attention wavered at a different scent in the air. It was pure and refreshing and it reminded him of the world just after it rained. His eyes lifted carefully and came to rest on what he thought was to be Katashi's 6__th__ son. He was…pleasantly surprised to find a woman standing before him._

"_May I present to you my youngest and as I am sure you have assumed, only daughter, Chiyoko." Katashi chuckled while giving his daughter a polite nod._

_Sesshoumaru watched as the woman known as Chiyoko stepped forward and bowed low before him. When she lifted her head his hardened amber eyes were met with a pair of bright green ones. Her golden hair was flowing freely behind her and in that moment he thought her to be a Kami sent down from heaven as a blessing. She smiled warmly at him before she opened her mouth and a sound the likes he had never heard reached his ears._

"_It is an honor to meet you Lord Sesshoumaru. I am very grateful for the opportunity to visit your home." She said to him._

_Her voice was light and confident and for the first time in his life Sesshoumaru was powerless to respond. He inclined his head in her direction before turning and leading the group inside his home. Dinner was definitely going to be an interesting affair._

_Long after the night had fallen and the Western world was silent, Sesshoumaru found himself unable to sleep. The evening had gone better than he expected and a strong alliance between Katashi and himself was imminent. The thing that was weighing heaviest on his mind was Katashi's offering of his daughter to be his mate. While he would not deny the female Inu was stunning in every way, he refused. He had no desire to take a mate at this point in his life for it was not needed. He was barely one thousand years old and was not in need of an heir. However, as he sat on the balcony outside of his room _alone_…he could not help but wonder. Would it be so terrible to take a mate now? Surely if he were to do so it would only strengthen his hold upon the west right?_

_Sesshoumaru sighed before turning his attention back to the young woman. She was…different than all the others. While most females he came across were after him for the title and status they would gain by being mated to such a powerful demon she seemed to be the opposite. She did not look on his person as a prize to be obtained. That had intrigued him quite a bit. He had caught her glancing at him several times throughout the meal and each time she looked as though she were trying to figure him out. He chuckled lightly to himself and wished her all the luck she could find with that. Even he didn't understand himself at times._

_His thoughts were disrupted when the object of his current thoughts came into view on the grounds below. She was walking with one of her brothers, for the life of him he couldn't remember the male's name, and Sesshoumaru had the sudden desire for conversation. Why, he did not know. He detested conversation._

_With no effort he gracefully leapt from his balcony and landed before the two who immediately bowed their heads in respect._

"_Lord Sesshoumaru, to what honor to we owe your presence tonight?" He heard the male ask._

"_I was hoping to speak privately with your sister."He replied._

_Osamu glared protectively at the male before him for Chiyoko's soft hand came to rest on his shoulder._

"_It's alright, I'm sure he doesn't bite." She began with an amused light in her eyes "Go back and tell father that I will be along later."_

_Osamu gave one more warning glance towards Sesshoumaru before kissing the side of his sister's head and walking off. Chiyoko shook her head and turned her attentions back to the demon lord before her._

"_I must apologize for him Lord Sesshoumaru. He tends to forget that I am no longer a small pup who cannot defend herself."_

"_Hn."_

_Chiyoko's eyebrows knitted together at the stoic demon's favorite standby line. She peered up at him curiously before shrugging her shoulders._

"_What can I do for you this evening milord?" She asked when he did not say anything else._

"_This Sesshoumaru thought that perhaps we could…have a conversation." He replied almost nervously. Why on earth was he nervous?_

"_Hmm…well you're going to have to do a lot better than 'Hn' for conversation milord for I am afraid that I do not understand what exactly that is supposed to mean." She said with a laugh._

_Sesshoumaru was staring with his mouth slightly open. Who was this woman? Did she not understand exactly who he was?_

"_You know, you are far too serious Lord Sesshoumaru. When was the last time you had yourself some fun?"_

"_Fun?"_

"_Yes, fun. You know, running around, laughing…you do know how to laugh right?" At his scowl, her smile brightened even more. _

_Chiyoko stretched out her hands until she had his face held carefully in them. She smiled again before shaking her head slightly._

"_You, Lord Sesshoumaru have a lot to learn."_

Kagome couldn't help the stray tear that slipped from her eye as Sesshoumaru fell silent. It wasn't a tear of sadness for a change. For a moment she wished that she could have remained in the feudal era just to see Sesshoumaru's happiness. And happy he did seem. Never once did his voice waver when he spoke of the past and his first meeting with the woman who would become his love. It was clear that he was very proud to be her mate.

"Thank you for sharing that with me Sesshoumaru. I can see why you speak of her with such respect." Kagome said when Sesshoumaru sat up to face her again.

She noticed that his face had hardened a little and she prepared herself for what was sure to be another fit of anger.

"I-I miss her." He said quietly.

"I know Sesshoumaru, I know." She replied while reaching out to squeeze his hand. She was not surprised when he did not return the action but she was content that for the moment at least, some part of him had clawed its way to the surface. It wasn't much but it was a start.


	9. Farewell My Beloved Daughter

A/N: As promised, here's another chapter for today. Warnings: Character death. Reviews are appreciated and helpful. I was expecting more by this point and I just want to know that you are enjoying this before I go and post the rest of the story.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

Farewell My Beloved Daughter.

Time, Kagome decided, was cruel and vicious. When you thought of time you found yourself thinking about all of the things that happened in the past and all of the things that would happen in the future. When she thought about the past the memories of her friends flooded her mind. She wondered what they had done with their lives after she left. Did Sango and Miroku get married and start the family that she was hoping they would? Did Shippo grow up and become the strong fox demon she believed he could? Then there was Inuyasha. She wondered about him most of all. What had he done with his life? Did he ever find a place to call home where he was accepted? Did he manage to find love again?

Kagome sighed and closed her eyes. That was her past but when she looked to her future she only saw Sesshoumaru. For three weeks she had been working with the disturbed Inuyoukai and she found herself frustrated. It was so hard to piece together all of the little clues that he left for her. When he was not under the influence of the sedatives it was impossible to understand the mindless ramblings but Kagome refused to keep him drugged up to the next century. Yes, he became more agreeable and compliant but it was wrong. She needed for him to find his way out of the protective shell he was hiding in on his own and no amount of medicine was going to do that.

Her last session with Sesshoumaru did not go as planned at all. She had been trying to learn more about his mate and their children and at the beginning it looked as though he was going to open up. He had started to tell her about when he realized Lady Chiyoko was with child when Onishi-sensei's pager went off. The high pitched noise startled Sesshoumaru so badly that he hid in the corner and refused to move for the rest of the day. It was truly a pathetic sight to behold and unfortunately it was one of the many that Kagome would never forget. To see him reduced to the frightened, cowering mess that he was made Kagome sick. She hoped that whoever murdered his family and caused his breakdown was rotting in the lowest levels of hell for all eternity.

The alarm clock on Kagome's nightstand came to life signaling that it was time for her to get out of bed and prepare for another week. She was very thankful that Onishi-sensei had given her the weekend off because it gave her time to refocus herself and get some much needed sleep. She spent her time well and felt refreshed and ready to take on the world. Well, the world inside room 144 that was. With her mind set, Kagome padded her way towards the bathroom for a shower.

Kagome arrived at work earlier than she was expecting and she figured that was a good thing seeing as how they could start earlier than planned. Then she remembered that Onishi-sensei had rounds to do with everyone else so she decided to retreat to her office to see if she could do some research into Sesshoumaru's discovery while she waited. She knew from his file that he had been found in a cave at Mount Fuji two years prior by a group of hikers but beyond that she knew very little. She skimmed the internet for a few minutes before finally finding an article that was more than a snippet.

_**Mysterious Man Found Hiding in the Mountains of Fuji**_

_Authorities responded to call at 6:48 this evening from a group of distraught hikers that a man had attacked them while they were hiking along a trail at Mount Fuji. The hikers, who declined to have their names mentioned, reported that they had stumbled across a cave about half way up the mountain and decided to investigate. When they entered the cave they began exploring to see how far it went. According to them, they had been in the cave for about 10 minutes when they heard what sounded like an animal growl. Thinking that they had somehow found the home of a wild animal they prepared to leave when suddenly a member of the group screamed and claimed that they had been bitten by something. They all turned to leave only to find their path blocked by the figure of a man. From their initial description the man was around 6'4' with long white hair. He was wearing nothing more than rags and looked as though he had been living in the cave for some time. When they attempted to move past the man he attacked them, severely injuring two of them before they were finally free. The group quickly headed down the mountain and went to the authorities._

_Three hours later the police returned to the scene that the hikers described. Upon entering the cave, they were greeted by a naked man covered in blood and remains of what looked like a dead animal. As with the hikers, the man became highly agitated and began attacking the police. After nearly a half hour of struggle, they managed to subdue the suspect. They called in for a medical transport while they started their investigation. The man carried no identification with him and his clothing was battered and weather worn. When the authorities ventured further into the cave they discovered the bones of several hundred deceased animals and quite possibly a few human remains. Along with that they found several drawings on the walls of the cave that depicted scenes of battle and chaos. A depiction of a great white dog was the focal point on the center wall in the back of the cave. A traditional kimono that was in pristine condition was found carefully folded with a single sword lying on top. It is unknown where the sword originated from but one expert who is investigating it said that its origins dated back to the Edo period of Japan. _

_The suspect was swiftly removed from the area and transported to The Tokyo Asylum where he is currently being observed. Authorities were not reluctant to comment on the identity of the man or his condition. The only thing that they would say was that all of the hikers were recovering from their injuries and that the situation would be dealt with when the assailant was more coherent and cooperative. They are asking that anyone with information regarding the suspect to come forward. He is described as an Asian male between 21 and 25 years of age. 6'3'' with long white hair and what appear to be amateur tattoos marking his face and wrists. If you have any information please call the police hotline, all calls will be kept confidential._

Kagome finished reading the article and a measured amount of sadness crept into her heart. How long had Sesshoumaru been living in that cave before he was discovered? More importantly, what happened to his belongings while he was being held here at the asylum? What worried her was the sword that they had found. If it was Tenseiga, there was nothing to fear but something told her that it was Bakusaiga. That sword, born from Sesshoumaru's inner strength as a demon, could be very dangerous in the wrong hands. She made a point to ask Onishi-sensei what happened to it later that day.

As if on cue, Onishi-sensei's short form appeared in the doorway to her office. He looked…well, he looked like he hadn't slept in about a month. Dark circles rounded his eyes and his 5 day old, un-shaven face was worn and marred by worry lines.

"Are you ready to begin?" He cut right to it.

Kagome nodded and straightened her appearance before following him out the door.

"Are you alright Onishi-sensei?" She asked carefully.

"Yes, I'm fine." He said in a tone that let her know not to ask further.

When they reached the fifth floor Kagome was surprised at the atmosphere. Usually, Sesshoumaru's aura was radiating with confusion, sadness and pain. Today he seemed…happy. Why he would be happy she didn't know, but he was looking forward to discovering the reasons.

Onishi opened the door and ushered Kagome inside while following closely behind. She looked around and spotted Sesshoumaru sitting upright on his bed. There was a silly, lazy smile on his face while he stared off into nothing. When he saw her, his smile widened and he immediately jumped off the bed and ran in her direction. He gently took hold of her wrist before pulling her back towards his bed.

"You must hurry, we don't have much time! Come see what I have prepared." He sang.

Kagome allowed him to lead her wherever he wanted to go. He gently pushed her to sit on the edge of the bed while he went to uncover what he had hidden beneath the blankets. What he pulled out confused her greatly.

He held in his hands the shredded remains of several pieces of colored paper. There was no rhyme or reason to any of it but he seemed extremely proud of what he had done.

"Look! Do you see the flowers I have picked? I only hope that they are good enough for her, she knows more about flowers than I do." He told her brightly.

"Th-they're lovely Sesshoumaru. Are they a gift for your lady?" Kagome asked carefully.

"No, they are for Rin. Her birthday is today and we are going to visit her. We have not seen her since her son was born."

Kagome smiled. It was nice to know that Rin lived to have children of her own and that Sesshoumaru wasn't absent from her life.

"I'm sure she will be very excited to see you Sesshoumaru. Can you tell me, how old is Rin today?"

"She will be 68 summers."

_68…_Kagome was impressed to say the least. The life span of people in the feudal era was not much passed 40. She wondered idly if it was because Sesshoumaru restored her life when she was a child or if she was just an extremely lucky and healthy individual.

"Will you come too? She talks about you. She says that you were always kind to her, she named her third daughter after you."

Kagome held back the tear that was forming in the corner of her eye before she smiled up at Sesshoumaru and nodded her head in agreement.

Sesshoumaru nodded before turning and placing his _flowers_ in her arms.

"Do not break them!" He warned before he ripped the sheet from his bed and wrapped it around his body like a cloak. He then proceeded to remove the fitted sheet from the bed and threw it over Kagome.

She threw him a questioning glace before he smiled at her and patted her head with a little more force than she was expecting.

"You will get cold. Birds should fly south for the winter." He laughed before taking her hand and leading her across the room.

Immediately Kagome began to panic when she noticed Sesshoumaru was heading for the door. There was no way in hell they were going to let him out of this room. _If he really wants to go…they won't be able to stop him_ she thought before turning her head to look at Onishi.

His eyes were narrowed to dangerous points and she knew that something was going to happen.

"Sesshoumaru…can you wait for just a minute? I need to ask…my friend here a question before we go."

The demon lord stopped and turned his gaze towards Onishi. He didn't say anything but he nodded towards Kagome and gave her a rather rough shove in the opposite direction.

Quickly Kagome crossed the room and pulled her mentor into the corner.

"What do you want to do? I don't think we can stop him if he wants to go." She whispered.

"We will…follow your lead. I will call for reinforcements to stay close to us. Be warned Higurashi…if something should happen and he attempts to run we will do whatever is necessary to prevent him from leaving." He warned.

Kagome swallowed hard. She knew that they would use deadly force if it looked as though he would get away. She vowed to herself that, that wouldn't happen. She turned and headed back towards Sesshoumaru who in turn grabbed her arm, looped it through his and led her carefully down the hall.

It became apparent right away that Sesshoumaru was heading for outside. He quickly rounded the corner and went for the Emergency Stairwell that went all the way down to the bottom floor and opened to the back of the courtyard.

Kagome was nervous. She had no idea where he was taking her and what would happen once they were outside. Sesshoumaru hadn't seen the real world in over two years and she had no idea how he would react to the sights, sounds and smells of the modern world. Sure, he had been living in that cave but she figured that he never ventured into any populated area and certainly never came near the city. Would he run? Would he be afraid? But more importantly, would Kagome begin to stop him if he either ran or a worst case scenario; he tried to transform. She had no idea what she would do if _that_ happened. For the time being, she put it out of her mind when they reached the bottom floor and Sesshoumaru immediately headed for the door.

The minute Sesshoumaru stepped outside his face scrunched up into a scowl and he shook his head violently. He looked at Kagome with panicked eyes but she gently rubbed his arm to reassure him that everything was alright. After taking a moment to adjust to the bright morning sun he began to pull her slowly towards the center of the courtyard. His head was high and she could only assume that he was taking in all of the scents around him.

"The world has changed." He said to her with surprising clarity.

"Sesshoumaru?" She questioned, not sure which personality was speaking.

"Hn. Come, they are waiting for us."

He led her forward for another few minutes before halting suddenly. His aura began rising and she noted the uneasiness and tension swirling within.

"It's alright Sesshoumaru; you don't have to be afraid." She told him evenly.

He shook his head and pointed directly in front of them. There was nothing there; well nothing that she could see.

"Inuyasha." He whispered.

Kagome's head snapped almost painfully to the spot where he was pointed but as she expected there was nothing there.

"There is death in the air." He told her before his eyes widened in what she could only interpret as fear.

"Rin…"

He released her arm and ran forward, Kagome and the guards close on his heels. She nearly ran into him when he stopped suddenly in the center of the courtyard. He turned to her and she saw that his eyes were filled with unshed tears once again.

"Sesshoumaru what's wrong?" She asked.

"Rin…she is…she's going to…"

He cast himself upon the ground and wrapped his arms around his leg and laid his head upon his knee. Kagome took the seat next to him and waited for him to calm down. _This…was a very bad idea_ she told herself before decided to get some answers.

"Sesshoumaru talk to me, what's going on? What's happening?"

_Sesshoumaru glared at his brother the anger seeping to the surface in uncontainable amounts. It was NOT true! Rin was NOT dying! It was impossible she was still only a pup in his eyes and he had believed that she would always be there. He knew that human lives were short and fleeting but Rin never seemed to fit in the same category as other humans. She was _HIS _daughter therefore she would always be with him._

_He felt the gentle touch of his mates hand upon his shoulder and he closed his eyes while he regained control. When he opened his eyes he looked towards his mate for assurance that it had all been a dream. Unfortunately the sadness of the situation was displayed across her features a plain as day. Rin was a daughter in her eyes too and he knew this would devastate her._

_"Take us to her, Inuyasha." He said roughly._

_The hanyou only nodded and led the two of them into a small hut just off to his left. The smell of death, grief and tears assaulted the Western Lord and Lady as soon as they entered the tiny dwelling. Sesshoumaru's eyes immediately found the one he was seeking lying still on a tatami mat on the floor. Rin's 4 children were huddled close while her husband held her hand gently in his own. He too was older now. No longer was he the clumsy, demon slayer in training but a wizened man who had seen his fair share of death._

_Sesshoumaru and Chiyoko approached slowly and stopped when Kohaku's eyes drifted up to greet the newcomers. Relief flashed in his eyes for a moment; they had come and Rin would be thankful. _

_With the greatest care possible, the two demons kneeled before their dying daughter and to their surprise; Rin's eyes opened and she turned her head towards the only parents she had ever known._

_"Y-you came…" she whispered. _

_"It is your birthday of course we would come" Lady Chiyoko said softly._

_Rin smiled and turned her face towards her father. Sesshoumaru's features softened as he reached out to gently push the strands of grey hair from her face. The reality of the moment dawned on him and Sesshoumaru bowed low, his head touching the floor, before the woman who had taught him so much. He felt her hand come to rest on the top of his head as she ran her fingers through his hair one last time._

_Her hand came to rest under his chin and he lifted his face so she could look him in the eyes._

_"Take care of them." She said. Her eyes began to lose focus and her breathing became even shallower. The end was approaching and Sesshoumaru wasn't ready._

_"Rin…" he breathed, his eyes begging her not to go._

_"I love you father…"_

_The hand on his face slipped gracefully to the floor. He tuned out the pained cries of his daughter's husband and children and focused on the now lifeless body before him. His daughter was gone. Her light and sprit would never again grace his presence. Sesshoumaru turned to his mate who was crying uncontrollably. He pulled her tightly to him and held her while she cried. He would not shed a tear, not here; his pride would not allow it. On the inside, his emotions were in a chaotic mess and he had no idea how to handle them. Slowly he stood, gathering his mate into his arms before quickly exiting the hut. It was too much to take and he needed to walk away. The night air was cool against his skin while he made his way towards the God Tree at the edge of the village. He sat down on the cold earth and held his mate till she cried herself to sleep. He stared at the approaching night and cursed the Kami's for inflicting this torture upon himself and his beloved mate. How dare they take away what was his? Why would they send her to him only to take her away again? Were they playing with him? He would make them pay one day._

_A gentle breeze tickled his nose and for a moment Sesshoumaru thought he could feel her presence nearby. He looked again towards the horizon before closing his eyes and nodding._

_"Sleep well, my beloved daughter."_

Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru's tears slowly came to an end when he finished his tale. The stoic mask was once again in place and she wondered what he was thinking. The accounting of Rin's death was a difficult tale to hear but she knew he needed to get it out. The more he opened up the better chance she had to get through to him. She was mildly surprised when Sesshoumaru moved closer to her and laid his head on her shoulder. Hesitantly, she wrapped her arm around him and allowed him to take whatever comfort from her that he was looking for.


	10. Welcome to the World, My Son

A/N: I don't have much to say today, I'm in a really pissy mood from work so I'm just going to say, Thank you to those who left a review and that reviews are appreciated so please feel free to leave one and tell me what you think, not just that you want me to update soon.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

Welcome to the World, My Son

The afternoon sun was high and warm but its calming effects were lost on the two individuals below who sat beneath the trees. If the scene were transported to another location, a park perhaps, it would look as though a young couple sat comfortably beneath the trees in the embrace of the other. This, however, was not another location and the two beings were far from a couple. They were an enigma. They were born to despise the other, to be disgusted with the other. They were born to kill one another. Yet, the miko and the demon sat beneath the trees not as enemies, not even as friends but as a sensei and a patient.

Sesshoumaru's head was nestled on Kagome's shoulder as he cried out his pain. His arms were wound around her neck and his legs were spread out to the side. Kagome had no idea what set him off this time and he certainly wasn't talking. They had moved to the shade of the trees when the sun became too much for her but they had not said a word since Sesshoumaru finished recounting Rin's final moments. She wanted to press on but there was something in his eyes that told her she should wait. Hours passed in silence and she found that she was having a difficult time staying awake in the afternoon heat. Sesshoumaru never moved, never complained that he was hot, he simply sat next to her with his hands in his lap and his head hung low. For a moment she thought he had fallen asleep before she heard a quick intake of breath and watched as he shifted for the first time. When she raised her head to look at him she noticed the tears accompanying his not so silent sobs. She wanted to reach out so badly and wipe away his tears but she held back. Sesshoumaru's true personality could return in an instant and she was positive he would not appreciate a human touching him. Imagine her surprise when he turned to her, wrapped his arms around her neck and began to sob into her shoulder.

It was amazing how much he _could_ cry. Kagome didn't think that she had ever cried as much in her life as she had seen him do since she started working with him. The only thing that made it more comfortable was the fact that he had someone to lean on. He didn't have to cry alone anymore.

Kagome lifted her head to glance around at her surroundings. The guards were circled around them making sure there was no chance for Sesshoumaru's escape. They certainly weren't making things comfortable and she only wished that they would just relax and realize that he wasn't going anywhere. Her eyes drifted towards Onishi and found him sitting about 20 feet away. His face was unreadable but she could tell that he was annoyed. He was annoyed with her a lot more lately but she just couldn't find it in herself to care. He wasn't her priority; the disturbed demon beside her was. She was tempted to remind him that it was _his _idea that she get involved with this in the first place.

Her attention went back to Sesshoumaru when she felt his hold on her neck tighten just a little. She turned her head back to him and noticed that he was staring at her. His eyes looked so haunted and distant and she felt her heart break just a little bit more.

"Sesshoumaru what's wrong?" she asked.

"There's so much…so much I never told them, so much I never told _her_" he replied softly.

"I'm sure she knew Sesshoumaru. Whatever you left unsaid probably didn't need to be said because she already knew everything there was to know about you."

"But I _should_ have told her. Every day that she was in my life she should have known how I truly felt and I never had the courage to tell her. I felt it in my heart and soul but I never said anything."

"She knew that you loved her Sesshoumaru I don't doubt that."

"Please, just take the pain away!" he pleaded to her.

"If I could I would but you have to work through this pain. It can't be taken away just like that. You can do it, I know you can. You're not alone in this; I'll be here to help you."

"I will always be alone. It should always have been so. I was not meant for happiness."

Kagome moved her hands to gently rub the tears from his cheeks. She didn't know how long his personality was going to hang in there and she wanted to learn as much as she could.

"Will you tell me of your children Sesshoumaru?" she asked carefully.

He smiled a little before sitting back against the tree. He seemed to ponder her question before chuckling.

"They were strong sons. Sons that I did not realize I needed until they were there. I remember so well the day my heir was born for I witnessed something I never believed I would see."

"I would like to hear the tale if you are able to tell it Sesshoumaru."

She watched as he nodded his head, closed his eyes and after what seemed like forever, opened his mouth to speak.

_The Western Lord walked through the halls of his home slowly taking in all of the sights and scents that had changed since he left 5 months before. He was happy that things seemed to be much the same as they always were. He did not plan on being away for so long but the border dispute took longer than anyone was expecting. It was a trivial matter really and his presence was not required but the quarrelling parties had insisted. When it was finally over he raced home as quickly as possible, he would not disappoint her. Of course, her threat that she would remove certain parts of his anatomy if he was not home in time had absolutely nothing to do with it. Oh no, absolutely nothing! He shook his head and chuckled to himself. His mate was a delicate and beautiful creature but even he knew that when she made a threat she meant it. Who was he to go against the demands of the woman who captured his heart and had it wound around her finger? He shook his head again and continued on his way. He ignored the surprised gasps from his servants and the excited squeals of Jaken and sought out the safety of his private chambers. Any questions could wait until the morning._

_When he reached the door he took a deep breath in and smiled. His beloved mate was behind that door and he suddenly felt like a teenage pup again. How this woman managed to affect him the way she did, he would never know but for now he was not complaining. Slowly he opened the door and his eyes scanned the room quickly until they settled on the bed._

_Chiyoko was lying on top of the lush sheets with his kimono wrapped loosely around her. Her long golden hair was fanned out across the pillows and her face was turned towards the door. His eyes trailed down from her face to her neck and further still to the beautiful swell of her breasts. He had to repress the growl that threatened to come out when he spied her delicate hands resting comfortably on her swollen stomach. Her body had changed so much in the months that he had been gone. If possible she had become more enchanting than before and the amount of pride that filled his chest when he thought of the son growing strong in her womb._

_Faster than he ever thought possible, he stripped himself bare and climbed in next to her. He immediately buried his face into her hair and inhaled deeply; her scent calming the anxiety he had been feeling while he was away. His large hands settled on her petite ones as he pulled her against his chest. She groaned slightly before she snuggled even closer to him. He allowed the stress of the last months wash away and felt himself drifting into the peaceful slumber that had eluded him for so long. Just as sleep was staking its claim upon him her soft voice reached his ears and soothed the heart that had been aching since the day it left._

"_Welcome home milord" Chiyoko whispered and together they fell into the most peaceful sleep either had, had in months._

_When Sesshoumaru woke the following morning he was surprised to find an empty bed. His tired eyes searched the room and found no sign of her. He flared his aura and much to his relief, found her in the next room. Knowing that she was safe, he was almost tempted to go back to sleep when he felt his mate's aura call out to him in distress. He tore from the bed, not bothering to throw on any clothing and threw open the door that led to their private bathroom. He found her leaning against the stone wall holding her stomach tightly. He didn't even feel his feet touch the floor as he ran to her side and wrapped his arms around her. _

_Chiyoko's eyes were closed and her face was pulled into a tight scowl while she attempted to keep her breathing even and calm. She was vaguely aware when her mate entered the room and only slightly conscious when she felt his arms wrap around her. Her normally reserved and collected demeanor was all but abandoned and the reality of what was happening caused her to panic. Her instincts were telling her to run and find the darkest corner to hide in because that would be the only way to keep her and her pup safe. She needed to get away and she needed to do it quickly. She struggled against the powerful arms that were holding her in place and she couldn't help but think that she and her pup were in danger. She snarled violently at the offending male and was prepared to fight when she felt something clamp down hard on her neck. She snarled again before an answering growl reached her ears. Her most basic instincts were in overdrive but the rational side of her realized that the presence behind her would not hurt either of them. Slowly, she regained control and slumped back against the strong body of her mate._

_Sesshoumaru held her until he was sure that she was in control. The last thing that they needed was a feral, laboring female who could not recognize friend from foe. He felt her stomach contract again and ignored the pain when she gripped his hand so tight he though she was actually going to break his fingers._

"_Breathe my mate. This is only the beginning and you will need your strength" he whispered into her ear._

_She nodded and relaxed again once the contraction had passed. As gently as possible, Sesshoumaru scooped her up and returned to their bedroom. Once he had set her down and made sure she was as comfortable as possible he exited the room to fetch her personal maids and the midwife. Once that task was complete he returned to her side and was determined to ease as much of her pain as possible. He took his place behind her and pulled her back so she was lying against his chest. Her head came to rest on his shoulder and he felt her draw in a deep breath to calm herself._

"_Relax and be calm my lady," he told her while he tucked her hair behind her ears._

"_Do not leave me Sesshoumaru," she told him as the next contraction wracked through her body._

"_This Sesshoumaru will never leave you."_

_Never, it turned out, was the moment after the midwife arrived and demanded that Sesshoumaru carry his mate to the birthing chamber. As soon as he set her down and made sure she was comfortable the stubborn crone had ordered him out. He snarled at the old woman and made a point to remind her that this was _his_ house and that was_ his mate_ lying on the bed suffering. The midwife just scoffed, grabbed him forcibly by the ear and deposited him outside the room. He immediately attempted to return to his mate's side but that damn woman had erected a barrier to keep him out. He hadn't been that pissed in a long time._

_And so, the Western Lord took to pacing the hall outside of the birthing chamber while he listened to his mate's cries of agony. He had never felt so weak and helpless as he heard her calling out for him over and over and knowing that he couldn't be there to give her comfort. Then again he was beginning to think that he was slightly safer in the hall than in that room._

"_Sesshoumaru I swear to every Kami if you do not get in here right now I am never, ever going to allow that appendage near my person again!" she screamed to him through the barrier._

_Inwardly he cringed. Yes, definitely safer here._

_The hours ticked by and soon the day gave way to night and still his mate labored on. He refused to allow that small voice in the back of his head telling him that there was something wrong get to him. He knew the process took time and could not be rushed but he worried. He could feel his mates' exhaustion and distress through the barrier and it had him on edge. The midwife had not come out once to inform him of the progress and it only made his nervousness worse. Did that woman not understand that he needed comfort and reassurances just like his ailing mate?_

_Nothing he did could take the edge off not even his favorite pastime of 'Kick Jaken' was working. The poor imp had been punted down the hall so many times now that there was a permanent wear mark on the floor. Oh how he wished that Inuyasha would show up on his doorstep right now; he really wanted to hurt something._

_Finally after an eternity he felt the barrier lower and the midwife stepped into the hall. She narrowed her gaze at him and sighed in defeat._

"_Milord, the arrival of your son is imminent however; your _mate_ refuses to push unless you are in there with her. It is against the rules to allow a male to be present during the birth so you must convince her that she has to do what I ask and bring her son into the world," the woman told him firmly._

"_If my lady is demanding this Sesshoumaru's presence then she will have it," he snarled._

"_Milord it is forbidden!"_

"_This Sesshoumaru does not care. My mate is in distress and you will not deny my right to comfort her."_

_With that, he pushed passed the angry woman and headed for his mate. He ignored the protests from the maids, forced the smell of sweat and birth fluids to the back of his mind and focused on Chiyoko. She looked so tired and worn and it made his chest hurt to think that she had been laboring for so long while he pouted in the hall like a spoiled puppy._

_Her eyes found his and he saw relief in them. Quickly he crossed the distance and resumed his position behind her on the bed. His arms came around her to settle on her stomach while he placed a soft kiss to her temple._

"_You are almost finished my lady. You must continue to be strong," he whispered._

"_I am so tired milord. I cannot…I cannot do this!" she cried._

"_You can and you will. Soon you will be holding our son. Do you not think that we have waited long enough for him to arrive?"_

"_It hurts Sesshoumaru! The pain is too much!"_

"_My lady you must calm yourself and breathe. Your mate is here against my better judgment so the time has come for you to push," The midwife told her sternly._

_Chiyoko thrashed her head about wildly as the pain overwhelmed her. She was fighting what was happening to her body and she couldn't control the panic that was setting in again._

"_Milord control your mate. Be forceful if you must. Demand that she submit to you."_

_Sesshoumaru nodded and tightened his hold on her slightly. He lowered his head and growled low in her ear._

"_Chiyoko enough of this! You will listen and do as your are told! This Sesshoumaru is your mate and alpha and you will heed what I have to say!" he warned her._

_He felt her stiffen and knew that she would not refuse and order no matter what she was feeling. She dropped her head as a sign of her submission and allowed her tears to fall. She just wanted this to be over so she could rest. The next contraction hit hard and she did not fight it when her body told her it was time._

"_That's it push my lady push!" the midwife encouraged._

_Sesshoumaru watched in silent awe as his mate struggled to bring forth their son. He knew she was spent and was fading fast but he also knew that she could do this. She had the strongest will of any female that he had ever met and he loved her for it._

_The final hour of hard labor was coming to an end and Sesshoumaru found that he was a nervous wreck. The cries of pain from Chiyoko were doing nothing to ease him and his more primal self was starting to lose control. This should have been over hours ago! Finally when he was close to snapping the words that he had longed to hear floated to his ears._

"_Just one more push my lady I can see the head. One more strong push and it is all over I promise," the midwife told her while ordering the maids to prepare some water and towels._

_Chiyoko's tear stained and exhausted face tilted up towards her mate in a silent yet desperate plea. He nodded and kissed her forehead before gripping her hands tightly in his own. She summoned what little strength that remained inside her and pushed with everything she had. It felt like forever but in a matter of moments there was a rush of fluids and she finally felt her son leave her body to the waiting arms of the midwife._

_Sesshoumaru's eyes were wide and alert as he watched his son slip from between his mate's legs and into the fresh towel waiting for him. Never in his long life had he been present for the birth of anything and he did not think that he would be there to witness as his son made his debut. As soon as he was free, Chiyoko collapsed in his arms and did not move. His eyes never left the woman who now held his heir in her aged arms. She moved to the basin behind her and immediately began cleaning the boy and clearing his nose and mouth. He panicked for a moment when no sound came from his son. And then…sound._

_The heir to the western lands opened his mouth and let out a wail that announced to everyone in the castle that he had arrived. It was then that the exhausted woman who spent over a day giving birth opened her eyes and searched for her son._

_Sesshoumaru looked down at his mate and did not try to hide the smile on his face. She had given him more in this one day than he ever thought possible. In this moment he, the feared Lord of the West, the most powerful demon in all of Japan felt complete._

"_You did wonderful my mate. This Sesshoumaru is proud of you," he told her quietly._

_Chiyoko simply smiled, too tired to do anything else. Her gaze shifted once again when the midwife approached the new parents with the tiny bundle that was their son._

"_He is healthy and his aura is strong milord and lady. You have birthed a fine son who will be a credit to you both," she told them as she carefully laid the pup in his mother's waiting arms._

_The new parents looked down at their son and both felt the great swell of pride fill them. His hair and facial marking were identical to Sesshoumaru's. They would have to wait a few days before they could see his eyes. He had his mother's nose and ears and on his forehead the dark blue crescent moon was surrounded by three tiny stars. He was perfect in every single way and both parents loved him from the moment the laid eyes on him. He was safe, he was comforted and he was theirs._

_Chiyoko gave a soft sigh before bending and kissing the top of her sons head. _

"_Welcome to the world my little prince."_


	11. The Face of Evil

A/N: Well, we're winding down on the daily updates, only two more chapters to go before we're caught up to Dokuga. Then I suppose I need to get working on the next one. Warning this chapter contains scenes of severe physical violence and rape. If you have a problem with that sort of thing then you should probably skip this chapter.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

The Face of Evil.

Sitting alone in her spacious apartment, Kagome was trying to keep her melancholy feelings from ruining her day. In her lap were the countless drawings Sesshoumaru had done during his time at the asylum. She had only looked at a few of them initially but now she had the time to really study them. There were so many different things being displayed in each one but they all told the same story. They were the story of his life, his love and his family. Each picture proudly illustrated the devotion and love he held for them all. It made her want to cry when she thought of the fact that the peaceful calm that surrounded the majestic family would one day be shattered and all that would be left was a hollow shell of a demon that lost it all. Kagome studied the faces that were drawn with such detail and allowed a small smile to touch her lips. His children were beautiful and a perfect combination of both parents. She had no doubt that they would have grown into the most amazing adults had their lives not been cut short.

Kagome sighed and attempted to will the sadness away. It was becoming harder for her to detach herself from the situation and it wasn't because she _knew_ Sesshoumaru. Had she been faced with a patient like this without knowing them she still would feel a tremendous amount of pity for them. No one should suffer the way he was suffering but the fact that is was Sesshoumaru just made it worse. She was having a difficult time remembering just who he was and who he had been now that she was a witness to how far he had fallen. Some days he was almost normal, frighteningly normal, while other days he was lost and confused. Her dreams weren't helping her either. Every night she would dream of the past but not the past she knew. It was an awful past filled with death, destruction and despair and at the center of all of that _his_ face shone with a blinding clarity. It never failed that she would wake up crying and she would be unable to fall back to sleep.

Her gaze settled back to the drawings in her lap as she continued to flip through them and get a glimpse into his life. She had nearly reached then end when she stopped on a drawing of someone else she had never met. It was a man with eyes so dark and cold that it made her shiver. He appeared to be tall but it was hard to guess since it was only a drawing. He had long hair that was tied behind him in a high braid and he was dressed in full battle armor. Something about this man, no demon, for she could just make out his pointed ears, felt menacing and dangerous. Whoever this was he was not an ally.

Kagome's mind was spinning with possibilities. Who was he? Did he have something to do with what happened? Did he betray Sesshoumaru? Why would Sesshoumaru have drawn him when all of his other depictions were of his family? All of those questions settled into her brain and she knew what she had to do. It would probably be difficult and painful but there was no other way. She couldn't protect him from the past forever and if there was any chance of him recovering he would have to face it at some point. She got off the couch and stowed the drawing in her brief case. Tomorrow she was going to learn exactly who that demon was and Sesshoumaru was going to tell her.

The normally short trip in the elevator to the 5th floor seemed to be taking forever. Kagome leaned against the wall and watched as the numbers clicked away at a snail's pace. She didn't know if it was because she was nervous about the conversation or the fact that Onishi-sensei had argued fiercely with her about it. He told her that Sesshoumaru was in no way shape or form ready to discuss it and once again she found herself wondering exactly how much he knew. He wasn't very forthcoming when she questioned him saying that he just had a feeling that it was going to bring up more painful memories than in the past and that he wasn't ready. Kagome disagreed and said she was going to go ahead with her original plan.

The doors finally opened and the two made their way down the familiar hallway once again. Onishi gave a quick nod to the guards and the door to Sesshoumaru's room was opened. Kagome wasted no time and quickly stepped inside the room that was rapidly becoming _home_. She spotted Sesshoumaru facing the wall having a conversation with no one. She couldn't hear what was being said but she was momentarily stunned when he burst into laughter. Whatever was being _said_ it was obviously amusing.

"Good morning Sesshoumaru," she said when she was a few feet from him.

The demon lord turned to her and nodded, a silly smile was still present on his face.

"What has you in such a good mood today?" she asked carefully.

"You have just sent the half-breed pummeling to the ground. Why Inuyasha allows himself to be subdued I will never understand but I will not deny that it is amusing to watch," he sang.

Kagome cringed. _Inuyasha._ She really wasn't ready to deal with that yet.

"Well, I'm sure he deserved it."

"I think he secretly enjoys it. I know that I do."

"I'm glad that you find it amusing Sesshoumaru" Kagome replied with a roll of her eyes.

He snorted then patted the floor next to him indicating he wanted her to sit. Kagome made herself comfortable and waited to see what he would do.

"The lady told me you were to be educated on our society and how things are done. You are to be taught how to speak and act if you are going to be living with us," he began.

"I would be honored if you would teach me Sesshoumaru,"

"Another day perhaps. Today you will sit here and meditate with me until the lady says it is time for dinner."

Kagome was confused but she obliged him none the less. She centered herself, closed her eyes and allowed the quiet to seep into her body. She didn't know how long she sat there but it felt like forever. She tried to clear her mind but for some reason it just wasn't working.

"You are distracted. Perhaps you need a lesson in concentration," Sesshoumaru's voice rang through the silence.

"I can't help but be distracted Sesshoumaru. I have a lot of things on my mind."

"And what could be weighing so heavily on your feeble mind today?"

"You and how to help you."

Sesshoumaru turned his head and lifted an eyebrow at her.

"There is nothing wrong with me woman. You should focus your attention on how to atone for your sins."

"What sins are you talking about? You keep telling me that I have done something yet I have no knowledge of what it could possibly be."

"You will know when it is time."

Sighing, Kagome rose to her feet and decided to get it over with. She walked over to where Onishi was standing and took the small folder from his hands. She walked back over and took her seat next to Sesshoumaru who was looking at her with curiosity.

"I was looking through your drawings," she began slowly "and I came across a person that I do not recognize. I was hoping you could tell me who he was?"

Kagome opened the folder and flipped through until she found the one she was looking for. She pulled it free and held it out to him to see if he would answer her. Sesshoumaru's reaction was immediate. His aura spiked dangerously and his eyes darkened with a hint of red. He crouched down low and snarled in her direction. She barely had time to dodge when he lunged for her. She scrambled back until she ended up against the wall. Sesshoumaru was in front of her before she had time to blink and she could feel the rage and hate pouring off him.

"You dare show that vile betrayer to me? I knew you were in league with him! We trusted you! We brought you into our home to care for our sons and you betrayed us to him!" he yelled.

"Sesshoumaru please it's Kagome! Listen to my voice!"

His eyes narrowed again before he sat back on his heels. The rage was not gone but there at least seemed to be a slight recognition. Kagome took a second to look over at Onishi and the guards who had come into the room with weapons drawn. She shook her head, silently telling them to back off. She turned her face towards Onishi and pleaded with him silently to let her see this through. He gazed back at her then towards the raging demon; uncertainty clouded his face. Finally he nodded in approval and Kagome turned back toward Sesshoumaru. He was staring at her with hatred and it made her blood run cold.

"Sesshoumaru…please tell me…what happened?" she whispered.

He shook his head violently before sitting back against the wall.

"Do not…do not make me remember," he replied after a time.

"You have to remember Sesshoumaru. It's the only way you're going to move past it."

"I-I am…afraid,"

Kagome reached out and took hold of his hands. At first he looked as though he was going to pull away but he remained where he was. He stared at her before he nodded slowly. Kagome moved so that she was sitting next to him ready to offer whatever kind of support she could.

"It began the month after my heir was born…"

_Sesshoumaru sat in his private chambers and watched his mate run through a torrent of emotions. One minute she was calm and peaceful, the next she was apprehensive and scared. He had no idea what she would be scared of and despite his many attempts to question her he just couldn't figure it out. Was she nervous that someone would attack their son? Ridiculous. This was the day of his naming ceremony and the day when he would be named as the rightful heir to the Western realm. It was a day when the four houses of Japan would come to pay homage to their newborn son and though they were not all allies they would at least show their respect. Perhaps she was nervous to see her family? They had not seen her since before she gave birth to their son so maybe she was worried about that. No, that wasn't it either. She loved her family and they loved her. Maybe she was worried that Inuyasha would start trouble? No, he had warned the half-breed that if he made any sort of commotion that he would not leave the West in once piece. Not like that threat ever meant anything to the whelp but hey, it was fun to say it._

_He sighed a little and decided it was time to finish getting dressed. The ceremony was about to begin and it would be rude to keep their guests waiting. A small whimper drew his attention to the simple crib that now stood in the center of their room. He had wanted only the best for his son but his mate convinced him that something simple would do. She never was one for all the fancy and elegant things he could provide. She told him once that he could hand her the keys to the four corners of the world and in the end all she would want was his love. And love her he did._

_Sesshoumaru walked over to stare down and his son with pride. He truly was the perfect pup and had already grown so much in his first month of life. He rarely cried and slept through the night. He recognized his mother's need for rest and wasn't constantly striving for her attentions. He nursed well but never took more than was needed. He would be a fine heir; Sesshoumaru had no doubt of that. Tiny golden eyes snapped open when he approached the crib and immediately he wiggled free of his blanket and stretched out his hands towards his father. Unable to deny his son anything; Sesshoumaru happily plucked the tiny pup from the crib and held him close. He seemed to take to fatherhood better than he ever expected and only winced a few times when the boy would grab fistfuls of his hair and give it a good tug. For now he was just content to hold him and show him that he was well cared for, accepted and loved._

_Chiyoko breezed into the room after her bath and came to their side. She smiled at the interaction between father and son and then turned to change. A few minutes later her handmaidens came into the room to finish her hair and make sure everything was perfect. When they were finished her long golden hair was brushed dry and left to hang down behind her. Her kimono matched the familiar pattern of his red and white one and she wore a simple, yet elegant butterfly pin in her hair and he thought she looked perfect. She strolled over casually and took their son from his arms to allow him to change as well. She walked away humming a little tune and Sesshoumaru fell further; completely and utterly lost in spell she had cast on him._

_The leaders of the four houses of Japan were gathered in the great hall awaiting the leader of the demon council. Sesshoumaru and Chiyoko stood proudly at their seats allowing all to marvel at the pair. Chiyoko's family stood in front of them; each one wearing a proud smile and look of satisfaction. The doors to the hall opened and revealed an old, wizened demon who stepped carefully up to the new family. He bowed low before the Lord and Lady and the ceremony began._

"_Lord Sesshoumaru and Lady Chiyoko, it is an honor to be present and preside over the naming and succession ceremony of your first born son. If you would, please place the child on the table before me so I am examine his aura," he began._

_Chiyoko stepped forward and carefully laid her son on the plush table that had been erected for this purpose. After a quick, reassuring glance at her mate that no harm would come to him she stepped back and took her place beside her Lord. The demon bent low and examined every aspect of the child's aura. He allowed it to fill him up and he had to repress the shudder from the amount of power the child held. He gently removed the boy from the table and held him before the eyes of all those present before continuing on with the ceremony._

"_The child is pure and let no one doubt his legitimacy from this day forward," he turned towards Sesshoumaru and Chiyoko "Lord Sesshoumaru do you accept this child as yours and yours alone? Will you defend this child with your life and teach him the ways of our world so that he may one day take your place as the ruler of the West?"_

"_This Sesshoumaru accepts that claim."_

"_Lady Chiyoko do you accept this child as yours and yours alone? Will you defend this child with your life and teach him the ways of our world so that he may one day take your place as ruler of the West?"_

"_I accept."_

"_Then before the eyes and ears of the four houses of Japan, name your son and assert his claim to your throne."_

"_This Sesshoumaru bestows the name Takehiko and does here by proclaim him the rightful heir to the Western realm."_

"_Does the Lady of the West concur with the decision of her mate?"_

"_She does."_

"_The ceremony is now concluded. Come now, Lords of Japan and show your respect to the house of the West."_

_The elderly demon placed Takehiko back into his mother's waiting arms while the other leaders and their families began the trek up to them to offer their respect. It was a daunting task but certain traditions had to be observed. Sesshoumaru was focusing his attentions on everything else around him that he did not notice the drastic rise in fear that was pouring off his mate when the Southern Lord approached them until it was almost gone. When he questioned her she merely said that she was feeling a little overwhelmed and that her instincts were still telling her to hide because their pup was vulnerable. He reassured her and comforted her but something in the back of his mind was telling him that she was not being entirely truthful._

_The festivities were in full swing late into the evening and all those in attendance seemed to be having a good time. The food was excellent and the entertainment was perfect; not that anyone expected anything less than perfection from the Western Lord. Sesshoumaru was amazed that his son remained as calm as he did through all of it but knew that it wouldn't last. Sure enough, just as he was settling in to enjoy some more food, his son let out a high pitched wail that announced his presence to anyone who wasn't sure._

"_He's hungry," Chiyoko said quietly._

"_I will have a guard escort you back to our chambers where you may feed him. I know you are tired and if you wish to remain in there for the rest of the evening I will not begrudge you that opportunity," he told her while he rubbed her back._

"_Are you sure it will not insult anyone if I do not return?"_

"_No. They understand that you are a new mother and that you need to tend to our son and yourself more than normal. Go, take care of his need and see that you rest. I will join you later."_

_Chiyoko bowed low and resisted the urge to kiss him. Public displays of affection were not something he took well too and she would do nothing to embarrass him tonight. She turned from her mate and left the noisy, crowded hall for the peace and serenity of her private chambers. She dismissed the guard once she arrived and then began the task of feeding her son and preparing him for bed. While he had weathered the attention well, she could tell that he had enough and was ready to settle in to the peaceful dream land for the night. Once he was fed, bathed, changed and sleeping in his crib Chiyoko stepped out onto their private balcony to enjoy the night air. It was cooler now and soon the West would be alive with the sounds of winter. She stood out there for minutes uncounted before she felt a presence behind her. Thinking it was her mate; she smiled and turned around quickly. What she met were not the warm, loving eyes of her mate but the cold angry ones of Lord Ryuunosuke of the South._

"_My Lord," she began with a bow "have you lost your way? Should I send for an escort back to the great hall for you?"_

"_No, I am not lost Chiyoko. You know exactly why I am here," his deep, unfriendly voice sounded._

"_We no longer have business Lord Ryuunosuke. Your attempts to persuade my father to allow me to mate you were finished the moment Lord Sesshoumaru took me. I suggest you leave before I am forced to call upon the guards to remove you," she replied angrily._

"_You have become as arrogant as that stubborn dog Chiyoko. You would have been happy by my side but now you have become nothing more than a whore in my eyes. You believe that fool is capable of loving you the way you so obviously love him? It is a façade. Now that he has his heir he will most likely cast you aside in favor of someone else or concubines. With me you would be cherished and loved till the end of your days."_

"_You are delusional. Sesshoumaru does love me and he would never cast me aside to be with another. Inuyoukai mate for life and we will live out our days together. Leave now!"_

"_But how would your dear Lord react to the news that on the night of his sons' acceptance ceremony, his mate skipped off to bed another? I do not think he would take too kindly of that."_

_Ryuunosuke stepped forward and grabbed her by the throat. He pulled her face to his and kissed her hard. Chiyoko struggled and fought against her attacker knowing it was a futile effort. She bit down hard on his lower lip, tearing it and causing it to bleed heavily._

"_You worthless bitch! This could have been easy on you, now you will feel only pain," he snarled as he backhanded her into the wall. _

_Chiyoko stood her ground and did not fall but the assault continued. Ryuunosuke slashed at her face, arms and clothing and in a matter of seconds she stood before him bleeding and nearly nude. She tried to call out but he silenced her with another vicious slap._

"_If you so much as open your mouth to scream that precious little heir of yours will not live to see another day."_

_Tears came to her eyes at the thought of her son and she could only pray that he would kill her and be done with it. She felt one of his hands seize her breasts and begin to massage them roughly and her tears came down harder. The other hand snaked its way down her stomach and was rapidly approaching her core. She had to repress the scream that wanted to erupt when his clawed fingers shoved their way inside her without warning. For her son, she would endure this pain._

_Ryuunosuke began pumping into her roughly and without abandon while his rapidly hardening member was begging to be set free. Even if she wasn't willing, he was going to enjoy himself and take the prize that should always have been his. He removed the hand that was working her swollen breasts and took a moment to enjoy the sweet milk that she was producing for her son. Oh, he would enjoy sucking her dry. In one swift motion he had removed his pants and his throbbing member was free and ready to be satisfied._

_He aligned himself at her still dry entrance, removed his hands and thrust inside her before she had a chance to escape. His thrusts were sharp and slightly erratic. He knew he wouldn't have much time with her before she broke and called out but he was going to savor every minute of it. For too long had he dreamed of her, desired her and tonight he would finally be rewarded. It was not about her pleasure this night. No, tonight he would take from her until his thirst was quenched and she was broken. Her mate would never want her now and in the end she would come running to him._

_Bending slightly, he took one of her breasts into his mouth again and began sucking like a greedy child. He picked up his pace and slammed himself into her when the sweet taste of her milk increased his arousal tenfold. Hearing her pained sob was music to his ears and he found himself letting go. With speed he didn't even know he possessed, he continued his assault. When she made one last ditch effort to free herself from his grasp he bit down forcebly on her swollen breast causing blood to pour down her body._

_"When will you learn that you are mine?" he snarled between pants "You can't escape me Chiyoko. Soon you will be begging me to fuck you when you realize he will no longer want you after this."_

_The pain she was feeling was too much so the Western Lady did what she told herself she would not do, she cried out. She flared her aura and screamed to the heavens for help. The southern Lord didn't have time to blink before the blind furry and rage from her mate was felt and he was thrown to the ground._

_Chiyoko collapsed to the floor and looked up to see her mate standing before her in a feral rage. The minute her aura touched his he knew that there was danger and he sped through the castle in a blink of an eye to reach her. His primal side was in control demanding the blood of the one who would dare harm and violate _his_ mate._

"_You dare touch what belongs to me?" he shouted at the offending male._

_Ryuunosuke only laughed before transforming and speeding off with one final message left on the wind._

"_She will be mine Sesshoumaru, make no mistake about that."_

"That is how it began. It took many years for my lady to overcome the assault. She found herself to be tainted and dirty, not worthy of my attentions. I did my best to assure her that I knew she was not responsible and did not hold it against her. She was an innocent soul," Sesshoumaru finished, unwilling to go any further.

Kagome could only stare. She had thought that the man was responsible for the death of his family in some way but she never could have imagined this. She felt an intense feeling of pity swell up within her but she refused to show her tears now. She would cry for them when she was alone.

"I'm sorry Sesshoumaru," she whispered.

"I know little one. Come now, she is calling to us, it is time to eat."

Sesshoumaru stood and extended his hand to help her up. She took it and allowed her powers to rise slightly and wrap around him like a protective blanket. She knew that no one would notice and she wanted to show him that she was there and that she would help him. He stood still and allowed the feelings of compassion, warmth and love fill him before turning and pulling her away.

Behind them, Onishi's eyes narrowed and followed the pair across the room. Unknown to anyone; Kagome's display did not go unnoticed by them all.


	12. My Soul to Take

A/N: A big thank you to everyone who read/reviewed/and favorited this story. Now, this is what I like to call the "What the Hell Chapter?" There's only one more chapter to upload tomorrow so don't strangle me when you get to the end then I need get working on new stuff. So for now, enjoy.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

My Soul to Take…

Frustrated and highly agitated, Kagome left Sesshoumaru's room and stormed down the hall. She didn't even bother waiting for Onishi before taking to the stairs. She needed time to think and the elevator wasn't going to give her that time today. For the past week Sesshoumaru had been completely silent and oblivious of her presence. He simply sat in the corner of his room and stared at the wall. She had tried every tactic that she knew to get his attention but nothing worked. Deep inside, she knew it was her fault that he had grown quiet. She pushed him too far with her questions about the man in the drawing but she knew that he was the key to everything.

In a shorter amount of time than she wanted, Kagome found the door to the third floor and pushed her way through it. Without so much as a nod to anyone she went into her office and shut the door. She flopped on her couch unceremoniously and closed her eyes. She really needed a good night's sleep; something that had eluded her for weeks. Every night, haunting dreams from the past would have her waking up in a quivering, crying mess. The dreams showed her a world that was dead and decaying and at the center of it all stood Sesshoumaru, the bodies of his family strewn across the ground. It was always the same; his eyes staring at her so cold and lifeless yet they seemed to be pleading for her help. She would start to run towards him and just as she would reach him his claws would pierce his chest and pull out his still beating heart. He would slump forward and she would catch him just before he would hit the ground. His blood would stain her clothes as she cradled his lifeless body to her chest. She would cry and scream for him but he didn't hear her. Then she would wake up and find her pillow moist with the tears she had shed in the dream. Once she was awake, she never could get back to sleep so she spent many nights staring out at the stars and waiting for the dawn.

A deep sigh blew past her lips as she willed her body to relax. Maybe she needed a few days away to clear her mind and then they could begin again next week. With no other patients on her schedule, she was sure Onishi would give it to her. He too seemed to need a break from what she observed. He was quick to anger lately and there were always dark circles under his eyes. She knew that he spent the majority of his time here and that he was the man in charge but everyone needed to get away once in a while. Perhaps she would suggest that he take time off too?

When it became apparent that she wasn't going to relax even a little, Kagome rose from the couch and proceeded to get her office in order. She answered a few e-mails, returned her missed calls, 3 of which were her mother, and made sure her desk was neat and organized. Half an hour later she exited her office and took the short trip down the hall to the office of her mentor. She knocked twice before the door was thrown open and an extremely disheveled Onishi stood before her.

"What is it Higurashi?" he snapped.

"I-I just thought…I was thinking…perhaps it's a good idea for us to take the rest of the week off from Sesshoumaru. I think we need to re-center ourselves and figure out where we can start when we've had a few days to relax and clear our minds" she said timidly.

His eyes narrowed at her while he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Higurashi, why did you become a psychologist?" he asked her.

"I-I just want to help people. I did what I could to understand the inner workings of the human mind in order to help those who cannot help themselves"

"And in all of your studying and preparing for your role did anyone ever mention taking a break when things got to be too difficult for you?" he sneered.

"I-no Onishi-sensei."

"Then why would you think that it would be acceptable to pack up and call it quits for the rest of the week?"

"Because we are getting nowhere with him! He won't talk to me or even look at me. Hell, he probably isn't even aware of the fact that we are there!" she yelled with a little more anger than she wanted.

"So, in your _expert opinion_ that is a reason to give up?"

"I'm not giving up! I just need time to center myself and I think the alone time would do him some good. We're with him every day for hours on end. We're smothering him."

"He was alone for a _long_ time before you came along Higurashi. You are not the first nor will you be the last to pass through that door in order to help him."

"From what I've read, no one has been able to reach him until I came along, not even you."

"And just why is that Higurashi? What is it about _you_ that makes him interact with you on such a personal level? You think I haven't noticed how familiar he is with you and how the same could be said for you?"

Kagome's eyes widened slightly; had it really been that noticeable?

"I have no idea why he talks to me the way he does. I don't know who he is or anything more than what he has told me" she said a little too quickly but she still held a convincing tone.

"I don't like being lied to Higurashi! Go and take your time off. I think you need it to think about how you would like to keep your job and perhaps you will be a little more forthcoming when you return."

With that, he slammed his office door shut in her face and left her standing with her mouth agape and her mind swimming. She knew the man was stressed but she had never seen him lash out at someone like that before. Not wanting to incur his wrath further should he find her still standing there, Kagome sped down the hall and escaped to the safety of her car.

*****B*****

"You were too hard on her, you know" the voice said from his seated position in front of the desk.

"Do not start with me right now!" Onishi barked.

"How long has it been since you've slept?"

"Months? Years? Who the fuck knows anymore?"

"Whoa back up there; we're on the same team here" the being replied as calmly as possible. As much as he hated these meetings they were necessary.

Onishi sighed and slumped into his chair. He hadn't meant to lose his temper with her the way he did but his stress level had risen to extremes that hadn't been seen in a long time.

"Does she know?"

"She knows what he tells her and nothing more. Even with what he's told her I doubt she can make sense of most of it. He's so far gone that even I don't understand half of what he says. If we don't get a breakthrough soon I don't know what we're going to do."

"We'll figure it out if and when it comes to that. For now, all we can do is wait. If anyone can get through to him, it's Kagome."

"I know but that's the part that frightens me the most."

"Why?"

"I cannot help but shudder when I think of what will happen when he returns to normal and discovers the truth."

******B******

Kagome allowed the scent of lavender and vanilla to fill her nose as she slipped inside the steaming hot bath and succumbed to the calming affects of the water and scented bubble bath. This was exactly what she needed to forget about the world for the next half hour. It was the 2nd day of her long weekend and for the first time in forever, Sesshoumaru was the furthest thing from her mind. Well, that wasn't completely true; he was always on her mind. Thankfully though she had a good night's sleep that didn't involve her waking up crying. No dreams had disturbed her and she was saying her prayers for that. She was planning to spend the rest of today relaxing and maybe do a little shopping. At some point she would probably visit with her mother. With Souta gone off to college and gramps having passed away 4 years ago, Kagome knew that her mother got lonely at the shrine. She had tried to convince her mother to sell the shrine to the government and move into the city but she refused. She said that, that place was her home and she would probably remain there for the rest of her adult life. Kagome decided she would definitely be visiting her mother one way or another.

Two hours later found Kagome nestled on the couch in her favorite pajamas and a book in her hand. Her bath had done wonders to relax her and now she just felt like being lazy. She didn't even bother cooking for herself and ordered out instead. The weather was awful so going out wasn't an option. It was the perfect day to be someone that she normally wasn't and there was no one to give her shit about it. When the book she was reading began to lose its appeal, she decided she was going to take a nap. She curled up underneath the blanket shut her eyes and began to drift of slowly to the happy….

The doorbell startled her so badly that she almost fell off the couch. Grumbling to herself, Kagome got off the couch and padded her way to the door, ready to see just who the hell was disturbing her rest. When she pulled open the door she was shocked to see nothing there. She peered down the hallway and both directions but not a soul was visible. She shrugged and turned to go back into her apartment when something on the floor caught her eye. There was a package with her name written on it but nothing more than that. There was no indication as to where it had come from or who sent it. Cautiously, she bent down and picked it up. It was heavy and immediately her curiosity was stirred. She quickly shut the door and moved back to her couch. She peered at the wrapped object in her hand and a million things began running through her mind. Slowly she began unwrapping the package and soon she was staring at an incredibly old, worn book. The faded leather binding was smooth but still elegant in design. On the cover was a symbol she would recognize anywhere; a blue crescent moon. Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, she opened the book to the first page and was greeted with tiny yet neat script.

_Tales from the Lady of the West: A Journal of Reflection, Discovery and Love._

This was…Lady Chiyoko's journal? How? How had this been found and why was it delivered to her doorstep? Pushing her questions to the back of her mind, Kagome dove right in to the text before her.

_The days are growing longer and it pleases me to know that spring will not be far off. The winter has been harsh on the Western Lands this year and I fear for many of the inhabitants of this great land. Deep into the winter snows we received a report of a terrible sickness spreading through the human villages. With my Lord away, the duty fell to me to aid our people as best we could. I summoned as many healers as I could find and sent them to the farthest reaches of the West in an effort to discover the cause of their suffering. I can only hope that we have done enough and our people will forgive us for not saving those who did not survive._

_It has been lonely without my Lord by my side and the yearning I feel in my heart for him knows no bounds. It is amazing that we have been mated for only 5 years and yet I feel as though I cannot live without him. He has found the way to my soul despite his cold and often frustrating demeanor. I laugh when I think of how he was when I first laid eyes on him. He was so distant and dare I say, nervous around me yet I could see the truth hiding behind his eyes. Those beautiful golden eyes are the window to his soul though most do not know to look there. Then again, I cannot imagine there are many that he would allow to examine him that closely. The night of our mating was one of the most amazing nights in my life and I am not speaking of the physical pleasures he brought to me. When our mating had been consummated I expected him to put up the wall that has surrounded him his whole life and fall asleep without further thought. However, imagine my surprise when he turned to me, still glistening with sweat and naked as the day he was born, and began a conversation. It was not forced in anyway and we talked as though we had known one another for hundreds of years. It was in that moment that I knew there was more to the great Lord Sesshoumaru then he let the world see. Behind the cold and fearless warrior was a tender and affectionate male who would devote himself to the things he cared for most. While I knew I would most likely never hear the words fall from his lips I could tell that he loved me. It was an amazing feeling and I carry it with me every day while he is away._

_It is difficult to watch him leave for war but I know that his duty and honor are extremely important to him. It pains me to think that there is a chance he would never return to me but then I am reminded that he is Lord Sesshoumaru and there will never be another like him. To think that I was almost mated to someone else brings a terrible pain to my chest. Lord Ryuunosuke was fiercely persistent in his perusal of me and I feared that my father would grant his request out of fear. He is a terrible man and the way he would look at me was enough to make my blood run cold. Despite his assurances, the rumors of his treatment of other females are appalling. He is said to be a brutal lover who delights in the pain he can bring to the act. I shudder when I think that, that could have been my fate. It seems as though the Kami's have blessed me though, and brought to me a savior in dressed in white with hair the color of the full moon. I await the day when we can expand our family but for now we have decided to use the time to enjoy each other. I find myself dreaming of what our pups will be like and it brings a smile to my face every time. I see sons strong and proud like their father and daughters who will be treated like queens and spoiled beyond reason. Sesshoumaru will be an amazing father there is no doubting that. Rin is the shining example of just how wonderful he can be. He told me of her in our first week together and I was honored beyond imagination when she was present for our mating ceremony. Despite the fact that she is a grown woman now I still see the bright smiling face of the child he saved from death and allowed to follow him till her heart's content. She is a beautiful woman and I am proud to call her my daughter as well._

_The sun is rising and soon the castle will be teeming with activity so for now it is time for me to say farewell. I look forward to expressing my journey through life with my Lord and hope to show this to our pups one day for they will be the future of the West and they will wish to know a side of their father that he will most likely never show them. He will show them love and protect them; there is no question about that. But, it will be nice for them to understand and learn just who their father really is._

Kagome set the journal down and just stared in awe. There was no denying that Lady Chiyoko was a wonderful woman and it was easy to see why Sesshoumaru was so lost without her. She loved him unconditionally with all of her heart and she was not afraid to tell him so. She wished to know the identity of the person who sent the journal so she could thank them for insight she would gain from it. Perhaps the answer to helping Sesshoumaru was contained within this journal and she was looking forward to discover more about the woman who stole a heart made of stone and transformed it.

******B******

"It's just so frustrating mama. I don't like hiding things but there is no way I can tell anyone the truth. Do you know what they would do to him if they were to discover what he really is?" Kagome asked while she sat across from her mother in the kitchen.

"I can only imagine what they would subject him to Kagome but it's not going to be easy to hide his true nature forever" her mother replied.

"I know mama but I'm determined to find any way possible to keep that from happening."

"I know you will dear, you managed well with Inuyasha when he was here."

"Yeah…I guess" she replied while averting her eyes, she still was ready to talk about him.

"If Sesshoumaru is alive, do you think it's possible that Inuyasha is too?"

"I-I don't know. Sesshoumaru…well…he implied that he was dead and said…" she couldn't finish because she didn't want to believe it.

"What did he say Kagome?"

"He said that Inuyasha hated me and cursed my name when I never returned. I tried to ignore it and tell myself that Inuyasha would have understood that if I could go back, I would have. But, there was just something in Sesshoumaru's voice that told me he was being truthful. I'm hoping that if-when he gets better he can elaborate more on what he meant."

"I'm sure he'll explain once he's ready, Kagome. You can't force him to tell you anything unless he wants to. Be patient, it seems like you've already reached him on some level and I think that you'll be able to help him" she told her daughter with a smile.

"Thanks mama. I needed to hear that."

"That's my job. Now, I happen to know that there are some fabulous sales going on today and it would be prudent for us to _not miss _it!"

Kagome laughed and rose from her seat at the table. Leave it to her mother to distract her from her thoughts with the idea of spending money. But, as she examined it further, her closet was definitely lacking some new shoes!

******B******

_The forest was dark and cold and she had no idea where she was going. She was running from something but what it was she had no idea. Something was coming for her and she knew it wasn't good. A noise to her left drew her attention and she scanned the area for any sign as to what it could be. Her heart was pounding and her mind was screaming at her to run. She heard another noise closer this time and she couldn't take it anymore. She sprinted off to the unknown and prayed that whatever was hunting her would give up. She was so preoccupied with what was behind her that she failed to notice the small hill that was just in front of her until she was tumbling down it. She hit the ground with a mighty thud and the wind was knocked from her lungs._

_Dazed and exhausted, Kagome looked to the sky and begged for this to be over. After lying on her back for a few more minutes she pulled herself together and got to her feet. The area was so foreign and she finally accepted the fact that she was lost. She wanted to call out for Inuyasha but she knew he wouldn't come to her rescue this time. This time, she was alone. She really needed to get a grip. She'd been in worse situations than this before and she just had to think her way through it. Kagome closed her eyes took a few deep breaths and turned from the opposite direction she came from. She started walking with no particular direction in mind and did her best to keep her bearings. _

_After an eternity, Kagome came across a vast open field filled with wild flowers. It was a beautiful sight and she allowed a moments rest to enjoy the fragrant blossoms. As she stood in the field she felt the tingle of a very powerful aura brush across her skin causing her to shiver. She knew this aura for there was no mistaking who it belonged to. Slowly she turned and came face to face with the great and terrible Lord of the West._

_The moonlight played across his silver hair giving him an ethereal beauty. His golden eyes pierced her sparkling blue ones and she was powerless to look away._

_Bowing low, Kagome kept her gaze level as she addressed the dangerous demon._

"_Lord Sesshoumaru, how may I help you this evening?" she asked carefully._

"_This Sesshoumaru has no need of your assistance Miko, you have already done enough" his smooth voice rang out._

"_Then why are you here?" she questioned._

"_You have brought this Sesshoumaru here Miko. It is up to you to decide what must be done."_

_Kagome thought over his words carefully before understanding came to her. She stepped closer to him until her face was level with his chest. Slowly, she raised her hands and placed them carefully on his shoulders. She looked up at him and saw the relief wash across his face._

"_Do not fail me, Kagome" he whispered just before she allowed every bit of power she held come from deep within her and flow into the demon._

_He did not scream or cry out. He did not beg or plead for her to stop. Instead he held her hands tightly to him so she could not pull away. Slowly the world around them faded away and Kagome could both feel and see the light leaving his eyes. With one final push, she delivered the fatal blow and the proud demon Lord collapsed to the ground and did not move again._

Kagome shot up in bed and screamed. There was a deep, penetrating pain in her chest and she knew that something was terribly wrong. She tore from the bed and quickly threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. In no time at all, she was speeding down the road toward the asylum praying that she was just exaggerating. It seemed to take a lifetime for her to arrive but her anxiety only increased when the lifeless walls came into view. She didn't even bother with an explanation to the guards before she floored the gas pedal and headed for the parking garage. It was the longest two minutes she had ever experienced.

Once she was safely parked she ran from the car into the building and headed right for the security office. Panting and out of breath, she burst through the doors startling the guards that were chatting idly.

"Higurashi-sensei is there something wrong?" one of the guards asked her.

"I need to see the surveillance on room 144 right now!" she yelled.

"We just did a sweep on the 5th floor Higurashi-sensei, everything was in order"

"Just do it!"

The two guards shot her an angry look but did what they were told. One of them typed a few things into the computer and pulled up an image on the main screen. Kagome's heart sank, the image was blank.

"Hm, that's odd try switching to camera 2" she heard one of them say.

Again, the image was blank. A quick check of all 4 cameras in Sesshoumaru's room all revealed the same, blank image. Even if the lights were out the camera's were equipped to see through the darkness. Kagome didn't wait for an explanation before she ran out of the room and bolted to the stairs. Normally a trip up the stairs to the 5th floor would take her forever but tonight the adrenaline was pumping and Kagome found herself at the door she needed. Running down the hall with all her speed she stopped before Sesshoumaru's door and ignored the looks she was getting from the guard.

"Open the door now" she ordered.

The guard looked at her sideways for a moment before he shrugged and granted her request. Once the door was unlocked, Kagome pushed passed the guard and threw open the door.

The room was eerily silent and it made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Slowly, Kagome turned her head and nearly fell to the floor.

There, before her very eyes was Sesshoumaru hanging by the neck. His face was already blue.


	13. And So the Watcher Sat

A/N: Alright folks, this is the last chapter that was posted and so ends the daily updates. I'll be working on the next chapter this weekend so I hope to have it done soon. Also, thanks to one helpful reviewer I have now enabled Anonymous Reviews, I forgot it was turned off...soo...reviews are greatly appreciated.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

…And So the Watcher Sat Silently Through the Night

The world faded away to darkness while Kagome could do nothing but stare at the scene before her in horror. There were no sounds, no movements, there was simply…nothing. Fear and darkness crept into her heart as she gazed upon his still form hanging before her. His eyes were closed and he seemed, dare she say it, relaxed. It wasn't until she glanced at his blue tinted lips that she was able to break free from her paralysis. Snapping into action, she ran to the wall and slammed her fist against the emergency call button. When the alarm flared to life she then ran out into the hall.

"Get in here and help me!" she cried before rushing back into the room.

Confused, the guards followed her in and found her trying to hold Sesshoumaru up so his makeshift noose would loosen around his neck. When the seriousness of the situation fully seeped into the minds of the guards they ran over to help her.

Kagome felt someone pull her away and she fought against them with everything she had.

"No, please you have to help him!" she yelled.

"We are Higurashi-sensei, we are but you have to stand back until we can get him down" one of the guards replied.

Reluctantly, Kagome stepped back and watched while the guards carefully extracted Sesshoumaru from the noose. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly to help ease the intense shaking of her hands. It didn't work.

_Why is this happening? How could I have not noticed how much pain he was in? And where the hell is the damn medical team?_

Kagome's tear stained eyes drifted to the door hoping to see help rushing through but there were only a couple of guards standing by. Movement out of the corner of her eye shifted Kagome's focus back to Sesshoumaru. Relief flashed briefly through her eyes when she saw that he had been freed and was slowly being laid upon the ground. Any second now he was going to draw in a deep breath and everything was going to be alright, right?

The seconds-perhaps minutes, ticked by and still Sesshoumaru had yet to move a muscle. The dark shadow of fear slowly began to seep back into Kagome's heart. Why wasn't he breathing? She refused to entertain the notion that they were too late. It was impossible. Sesshoumaru had survived centuries, living alone in torment and guilt only to be found by her of all people. There was a reason for it all to have happened this way. _She_ was meant to find him and she was meant to _save _him. Even if it meant saving him from himself.

Finding the clarity that she needed, Kagome sprang forward and shoved the guards out of the way. She quickly went to her knees and placed her head on Sesshoumaru's chest. He wasn't breathing and his heart was silent. More tears welled up in Kagome's eyes but she refused to give up.

"You," she said pointing to the closest guard "get down here and help me."

When the guard complied, Kagome moved herself so she was positioned near Sesshoumaru's head. She checked his neck one more time for a pulse before giving the guard her instructions.

"When I tell you, start compressions on his chest while I do mouth to mouth. Don't push too hard or you could crack one of his ribs. Someone else go find out where the hell the medical staff is and inform them that if they aren't here in one minute I swear to any Kami that can hear me that they will be out of a job!"

With that, Kagome nodded to her _assistant_ and he began pressing down on Sesshoumaru's chest. After 5 repetitions she pinched his nose closed, tilted his chin down so his mouth would open and blew into his mouth. His chest gave a slight rise and the process was repeated. Each time Sesshoumaru's chest would rise but the motion would not continue.

Through it all, Kagome fought on. Despite the odds, despite her dizziness, Kagome refused to quit.

"Sesshoumaru…please…don't give up, not like this!" she cried between breaths but the stoic demon lord seemed hell bent on ignoring her.

"Damnit Sesshoumaru! Of all the stubborn, arrogant things to do couldn't you pick something better than trying to die?" she yelled.

"Higurashi-sensei…" one of the guards began but he was cut off.

"Don't even say it! He's not going to die!"

Kagome turned so she was staring directly into Sesshoumaru's face. She gently placed her hands on his cheeks and ran her thumb across his markings. The tears that had not ceased since she came into the room dripped freely onto his face but Kagome didn't notice. She bent down until her forehead was touching his. Closing her eyes she whispered to him, hoping he would hear.

"Please Sesshoumaru don't do this to me. You've come so far and for you to give up now…You're stronger than this, I know you are."

Commotion at the doorway had Kagome lifting her face; help had finally arrived. The medical team came racing into the room and threw everyone out of the way, including Kagome. She stepped back and allowed them to work. It took them only moments before there was a tube shoved down his throat and an IV in each arm. The lifted him carefully onto a stretcher and once they were certain that he was _stable_ they wheeled him out of the room with all haste.

Kagome wasted no time and followed them out of the room. Unfortunately, there was no room for her in the elevator so she opted for the stairs. The race down the stairs to the first floor took forever in her mind and she still had at least 5 minutes once she reached the bottom floor before she hit the infirmary. The medical wing was at the farthest point on the first floor and kept secluded from the rest of the asylum. It was kept apart in case a patient was brought in with an air born disease that would be difficult to deal with if it was passed on to the regular patients. For once, Kagome found herself not giving a shit if the rest of the patients got sick and cursed the fact that it was so far away.

Perhaps she should have been a little more focused on what she was doing because one minute she was sprinting down the stairs and the next minute she had missed a step…or three and she landed awkwardly on her ankle. She gave a startled yelp as the pain shot up through her leg right before she fell to the ground. Kagome shook her head in an effort to clear her mind before she sat back against the stairwell wall. She didn't fight it when the first sob wracked her body. She needed this breakdown more than she realized because when she was done she would need to be strong. When Sesshoumaru got better, he was going to need her strength.

She sat there for a few more minutes before she was able to pull herself together once again. She carefully rose to her feet and tested her weight on her ankle. It hurt and she would probably need to ice it later but none of that mattered to her. As quickly as possible, she made her way down passed the receptionists' station and along the hallway that lead to the infirmary. She didn't know what she would find once she reached the doors but she could only pray that it would be good news.

"He's stable for now," the medic on duty began "there is significant damage to his throat but I'm afraid that is the least of his problems."

"What's going on?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"Well, as you can see, he's not breathing on his own and we had to shock him several times to get his heart to start beating again. I don't know how long he was hanging there before you found him Higurashi-sensei but I don't think I need to tell you what happens when the brain is deprived of oxygen for a prolonged period of time. _If_ he wakes up Higurashi-sensei there is no guarantee that he will have all of his faculties intact and there is a real possibility he has suffered permanent brain damage."

Kagome's heart sank to the pit of her stomach but she did her best to keep her expression neutral. She needed to keep it together.

"What are…his chances of making a full recovery?" she asked timidly.

"Physically, he should heal up in a few days but the brain is a very complex and difficult organ to understand. There is no way to know what kind of damage is done. He could wake up and be…well, himself. He could have forgotten everything that has happened to him over the last few years or he could simply not wake up at all. Only time will tell Higurashi-sensei."

Kagome nodded as the man politely excused himself. Grabbing a chair, she sat down next to Sesshoumaru's bed. There was a tube and wire attached to just about every part of his body and it was with a heavy feeling that Kagome realized that they were the only thing keeping him alive.

Sighing, she realized just how tired she really was. She looked at the clock and was shocked to discover that it was only 4:30 in the morning. She'd only been here for an hour and a half but it felt like a lifetime.

"Kagome?"

She turned around to find Onishi standing behind her with what could only be described as a concerned expression on his face.

"Onishi-sensei…I…I'm sorry. I should have listened to you. I never should have-"

"It's alright, Kagome. I'm not blaming you for what happened. This was bound to happen eventually" he said solemnly.

"I thought we were getting through to him. I thought that there was a chance he would get better. Why would he do this? Why would he give up all of our progress?"

"I don't know. I don't even think he'll know why he did it but regardless we must deal with it and move on."

"Move on? How the hell do you expect us to just _move on?_ What if he never wakes up? What if he's like this…forever?" she sobbed.

"Go home, Kagome."

"What? You can't be serious?"

"I am, in fact, very serious. You're obviously exhausted and need sleep."

Kagome's mouth opened slightly and she stared at the man who was her boss. _He's got to be joking! Does he honestly expect me to just…leave? _she thought. However, the serious expression on his face told her that he meant what he said.

"But…what if he wakes up? He's going to be all alone and what if something happens? What if he's confused and doesn't understand what's going on?" she pleaded with him.

"Kagome, please…just for once do as I ask and go home. I promise he will still be here when you come back tomorrow. If something serious happens, I promise to call you" he said with a sigh.

She opened her mouth to protest but decided against it. He was right after all; she was really tired. Turning back to Sesshoumaru, she gave him one final glance before heading for the door. She nodded to her mentor and slipped quietly into the pre-dawn morning.

Once he was sure she was gone, Onishi turned and stared down at the still form lying on the bed. Taking up Kagome's vacant seat by his side, he sat quietly and pondered the situation. He wasn't lying when he told her that this was expected; honestly he was anticipating something like this years ago. Despite his reluctance to talk, Sesshoumaru had always been unstable. He too had thought that Kagome was getting through and that there might finally be a light at the end of the tunnel. Sesshoumaru's pain ran deep; deeper than he ever expected. It was not surprising really. To lose what he did would have destroyed a lesser man almost instantly. But Sesshoumaru was far from a weak being, Onishi knew this from the moment he laid eyes upon him all those years ago. Still though, his attempted suicide weighed heavily on his mind. It would certainly cause a major setback in his recovery and that was something they did not need.

"Damnit, Sesshoumaru! You always did know how to fuck up the best laid plans" Onishi said with a quiet chuckle.

"Not to mention the fact that you have probably added a few grey hairs to the head of your young friend."

Sighing, Onishi turned to the clock; it was just after 5:00 am. There was no point in trying to sleep now. Standing, he headed for the door before turning and glancing one more time at the unconscious male.

"Don't even think about dying while I'm gone. If you do, I swear I will dig out Tenseiga and bring you back just so I can kick your ass."

"Good morning, Sesshoumaru" Kagome said lightly as she strolled into his room in the infirmary. This had become her new routine. For the past week, he remained in a coma despite the fact his injuries seemed to have healed. She refused to give up on him though; she promised herself that she wouldn't. Settling into her chair, she looked over his chart to see if anything had changed. She wasn't a medical professional but she knew the basics. Everything looked the way it was supposed to be and Kagome smiled. She set her bag on the floor and placed her cup of tea on the tray beside his bed before reaching down and pulling out a book. She did very little talking while she was sitting with him but she wanted him to see a familiar face _when_ he woke up. For two years he saw nothing more than the inside of that room and the few orderlies who helped tend him along with Onishi-sensei. She didn't want him to wake up and see some complete stranger staring at him like he was on display. She shuddered for a moment at the thought of what would happen. Somehow, the idea of him melting the orderly that was tending him popped in there and well…let's just say it wasn't a pleasant picture that was painted in her brain.

Turning her attention back to the book, Kagome smiled again. She was reading Lady Chiyoko's journal again. To her, it just seemed to be the right thing to do. When he woke up she would have a better understanding of the woman who stole his heart and would be able to reach him more thoroughly. Well, that was her theory at least.

Shifting to get more comfortable, Kagome settled in and picked up where she had left off the day before.

_That stubborn, insufferable dog! I am beginning to think that the Kami's are punishing me though I have no knowledge as to what they could be doing it for. Of all the arrogant males that they could have chosen to match me with they just had to pick him. I know, deep within my heart that he is only doing what he feels is best but sometimes I wish I could just slap him across his beautiful face and make him see that he is being a fool._

_I suppose I should explain what it is that I am talking about ne? I am expecting our second pup in a few short weeks as you very well know but apparently my mate has decided that I am too delicate and fragile to do anything. He has taken to shadowing my every move and Kami forbid if I should want to walk outside in the sun and fresh spring air for a moment. Just this morning I desired to spend my time out among the flowers and was headed there when before I knew it, there he was glaring at me like I had three heads. I made to move past him and continue on my journey but he refused to move. When I questioned what it was that he wanted he simply arched those perfect eyebrows at me and told me to go back and lie down. Honestly! Does he think that by going outside and sitting peacefully by the gardens that something is going to happen? I have already birthed one pup into this world and though I am not looking forward to doing it again, I think that I am more than capable of handling things on my own. I know that he is concerned for us with the threat of war looming on the horizon but if I am not safe within my own home, I will not be safe anywhere. We have the finest guards possible surrounding this castle as well as the most powerful youkai to ever exist. Perhaps he is just afraid that Ryuunosuke will make good on his threats? It has been 15 years since the incident that we do not speak of and nothing has been heard of the Southern Lord. Perhaps he is just biding his time for I refuse to believe that he will give up._

_Let us not dwell on matters so difficult to think of and return the problem at hand. How is it we make an overprotective, prideful and stubborn male realize that he does not know everything and that he should perhaps relax just a bit? I suppose I could always summon Lord Inuyasha and ask him to distract Sesshoumaru. Yes, perhaps that is the best course of action. Then again, the last time my Lord's brother was here we had to completely repair the eastern end of the castle. Maybe that is not the best idea. Besides, Lord Inuyasha's temper has greatly changed in the past few years. He has matured and is not so quick to anger any longer. He is still confident in himself but it seems that age and responsibility is finally catching up to him. I asked him once recently; why he had not taken a mate and settled down to start a family of his own. His eyes became hard and somewhat cold when he replied that his heart had been broken one too many times for him to bother with that again. When I asked him what he was talking about he simply said that the only woman he had truly loved had abandoned him and would never return. I felt pity for him in that moment but did not continue with my questioning. If he wanted to tell me, he would._

_Well, it would seem that I have once again gotten off topic. This is what being held inside day in and day out does to me. Perhaps…perhaps I will simply descend the stairs outside of our chambers and go to the gardens that way? Nay, that would not be wise. Sesshoumaru has guards posted everywhere to keep me from escaping. He is very luck that I love him so much or I would tell him to go to hell. Not the most befitting choice of words for the Lady of the Western Lands but this is the madness that he drives me to._

_The sun is now high in the sky and I suspect he will be arriving with Takehiko for our afternoon meal so it is time for me to say farewell until later._

Kagome smiled as she closed the book and marked her place. She wished she could have met Lady Chiyoko for she had no doubt in her mind at all that they would have become fast friends. She was so different from Sesshoumaru in so many ways but she suspected that was why he fell in love with her. She was the light to his darkness.

Her mood shifted when she thought of the Lady's words concerning Inuyasha. She wanted to hope that the person that Inuyasha was talking about was her but as with everything concerning their _relationship_ there was always the chance he was speaking about Kikyou. It made her sad to think that he spent his life alone and bitter without ever having found someone to love. Perhaps down the line he did find someone to spend his days with. She refused to believe he died alone.

Sighing, she glanced at the clock to see that it was now early afternoon. She stood up and decided to head to the cafeteria and grab some lunch before coming back and spending the rest of her day here keeping Sesshoumaru company. Grabbing her bag, she turned to leave but was stopped when she came crashing into a solid wall. She stepped back and realized that the _wall_ she had run into was actually a man. She looked up and momentarily stepped back. Bright green eyes were peering at her curiously and for a moment she thought she recognized that look…

"I'm sorry, Miss are you alright?" the male asked.

"Uh-yes, my apologies I should have been paying attention" she replied with a bow.

"Do not worry, no harm was done" he said with a casual wave of his hand.

"Is there something I might help you with?" she asked.

"No, I was…looking for someone who is not here. Forgive me for disturbing you."

"It's alright; I was on my way to get lunch anyway."

"Well, I will not keep you from that then. Enjoy your lunch" he told her before offering a short bow and letting her pass him by. A small smile touched his lips as he watched her go _I'll see you later, Kagome_ he thought before he too, turned and left the room.

Hours later, Onishi entered the infirmary to find a most curious sight before him. Kagome was sitting in her chair as she always did but she had laid her head down upon the bed next to Sesshoumaru's hand. He looked at her carefully before he realized she was asleep. She looked so peaceful and for once, he didn't have the heart to disturb her. If she wasn't awake before he left for the night he would wake her. For now, he would let her linger in her dreams.

_The sun was high in the sky when he came upon them. He stilled his forward motion at the edge of the tree line and watched them as they enjoyed the day together. They looked so happy and content and a smile threatened to form at the corners of his lips as he watched them._

"_Father!" Takehiko called out when he spotted him at the edge of the clearing. Immediately all eyes were on him and they were rushing at him with great haste. Slowly he bent down and scooped the small boy up into his arms and held him close. He inhaled deeply, committing the boys scent to memory as best he could._

"_Father, where have you been?" _

"_I have been busy my son. Forgive me for staying away for so long" Sesshoumaru replied softly._

_Takehiko smiled at his father and turned towards the other individuals who were making their way towards them._

"_I did as you asked, father. I have been taking care of them while you were gone."_

"_You have done well, my son. You should be proud."_

_Sesshoumaru placed his eldest on the ground before the spot was filled by his middle child. Rikuto was still a head shorter than his brother but he had a feeling that they boy would catch up to him very soon._

"_I have missed you father!" Rikuto said with sad eyes._

"_I know my son; this Sesshoumaru has missed you as well."_

"_You're not going to leave us again are you?" the boy questioned._

"_I do not wish to."_

_Rikuto smiled and hugged his father one last time before stepping away. Sesshoumaru lifted his head and was met with the beautiful face of his beloved mate. Her smile was bright and cheerful as she held his youngest pup against her hip. Yoshirou's tiny fingers immediately sought him out and he did not deny the small pup. As he did with his other pups, he gathered the boy close and held him tightly._

"_Takehiko, Rikuto would you be so kind as to take your brother to play while I speak with your father?" Chiyoko's voice interrupted._

_Both boys nodded and with great reluctance, Sesshoumaru passed his youngest over and watched as they scampered away. The soft hand that came to rest on his cheek broke him of his silent vigil and he turned to face his mate. Leaning over quickly, he wound his arms around her waist before kissing her as though he had never done it before. He was delighted when her own arms found their way around his neck and together the stood there for a time uncounted locked within their own burning passions._

_Finally, he pulled away and stared down into her slightly flushed face. She was smiling but he noticed the tears that were slowly trailing down her cheeks._

"_What is wrong my lady?" he asked her after a moment._

"_Though I am overjoyed that you are before me, I know that you will not be staying" she replied._

"_What do you mean? This Sesshoumaru is not going to leave you again, Chiyoko."_

"_It is not your time, Sesshoumaru"_

"_I have no desire to return, there is nothing for me there"_

"_She needs you, Sesshoumaru. And you need her though you do not yet realize it. You must not be afraid. Trust her. She will guide you and show you the path that you must follow."_

"_Who?" he questioned._

_Chiyoko smiled at him and ran her fingers lightly across his forehead. Slowly she leaned up and placed a tender kiss on his lips before she pulled away completely._

"_You must return, my love. There is much you have yet to do." _

Golden eyes opened slowly and attempted to focus. Confusion was present in his mind as he attempted to discover just what was going on. Glancing around, he did not recognize this room or any of the smells in it. No-there was one smell he did remember. He turned his head to the left and his eyes widened a bit at the mass of black hair that was sprawled out on the bed next to his hand. The woman's eyes were closed and she appeared to be sleeping but he knew she was no threat. Slowly, so not to startle her, he lifted his hand and laid it gently on the top of her head. Threading a few strands of the raven black hair through his fingers he sighed. Closing his eyes once again, he decided that a few more hours of sleep weren't going to hurt anything.


	14. Courage is Found through Pain

A/N: And I'm back with a brand new chapter everyone. Sorry it took so long to get out but work has been really crazy and I had a hard time with this chapter for some reason. I hope it meets everyone's expectations. Thank you to anyone reading and reviewing here who are members of Dokuga for the nominations this story has received. You have no idea how appreciated it is.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

Courage is Found Through Pain.

Kagome fought to hold on to the last bit of sleep, but the large kink in her neck and the screaming of her bladder forced her eyes open. It only took a minute for her to realize that she was _not_ at home and this was _not_ her bed. Groaning, she lifted her eyes to take in the familiar sight of the infirmary wall.

_I must have fallen asleep in here. Why didn't anyone wake me up? _she thought for a moment before deciding it didn't matter. She really, really had to pee.

Slowly, she lifted her head and sat back against the chair. Her gaze turned towards Sesshoumaru and she found, as expected, that he was still unconscious. A sad smile came across her face as she looked at him. Some days she found herself wishing for the demon who tried to kill her so many times in the past. Despite what she wanted or wished for, _that_ Sesshoumaru was gone. The Sesshoumaru lying before her was the one who remained.

Kagome stretched and rose from her seat. She needed to eat something then get home. She looked at Sesshoumaru one more time before she turned and headed down the hallway. The halls were quiet, leading her to believe it was either really late or really early. She smiled at the nurse manning the station and turned to go into the bathroom.

"Higurashi, wait a moment" Onishi's voice called to her.

"Onishi-sensei" she replied with a bow.

"I was just on my way to wake you. How is the patient?"

"He was still unconscious when I left him a few minutes ago. I was just going to wash up, grab a bite to eat and head home."

"Before you go would you stop by my office? I have something that I would like to give you"

Kagome tilted her head to the side in confusion. He had something for her?

"Um, sure give me an hour or so"

"Take your time; I'm not going anywhere" he told her before he turned and headed back in the direction he came from.

Kagome shook her head and went into the bathroom. Twenty minutes later she found herelf sitting in the staff lounge pushing her meal around. She was hungry but for some reason she just couldn't eat. Something just didn't feel right. She tried her best to ignore it but the more she did that the more persistent the feeling became. It was hard for her to describe but it felt like…something was calling for her. Back in the deepest parts of her mind she could feel it tugging on her senses. When the feeling became too much for her to take she decided it was time to go home. She got up quickly and threw her untouched meal into the garbage. Once she was finished cleaning up her mess she left the lounge and headed to her office. She wanted to retrieve her things but she remembered that they were still down in the infirmary with Sesshoumaru. She was almost to the elevator when she reminded herself that Onishi had wanted to see her. She turned around and quickly went back down the hall to his office.

Kagome lifted her hand and gave a short knock on the door. She could hear shuffling and a few muted voices coming from inside and she hoped that she hadn't interrupted a session with a patient.

When the door opened Onishi was standing next to another man who appeared to be on his way out. It took a few minutes but she recognized the man as the same one she ran into in the infirmary. He offered her a smile when he brushed passed her and she returned it shyly.

_He must have a family member here_ she thought before Onishi moved aside so she could enter the room.

"I'm sorry for interrupting; I know I'm a little early" she said as she sat down in the chair before his desk.

"It's alright, Higurashi. We were just finishing up" he told her while he made his way over to the closet door. Once he had it open, Onishi pushed aside a few things before removing what looked like a paper bag with handles. He turned, shutting the door in the process, and moved to sit behind his desk. He wasn't sure how much good this was going to do or even if it was going to do any good at all but seeing as how it wasn't being used and was just collecting dust in his closet, he might as well give it to her.

"This bag contains everything that was found when Sesshoumaru was apprehended in the mountains two years ago. There isn't much; some kimonos, a necklace and some letters. I haven't read any of the letters but I thought you might be interested in them. There might be something in them that will give us some new clues as to what happened."

He handed the bag to her and he could see the curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

"I'll look through this when I get home tonight. Thank you, Onishi-sensei."

"Speaking of that, I do believe you have been here long enough Higurashi. Go home and relax"

"Yes sir. I just need to grab my things from the infirmary" she replied as she rose to her feet. Kagome offered him a polite bow before she turned and exited the room.

As soon as Kagome's feet stepped off the elevator the feeling she had in the staff lounge returned only this time it was stronger. She did her best to ignore it but the pull only became stronger. Her steps quickened just a bit when she noticed that the feeling grew even stronger the closer she got to the infirmary. Before she knew it, she was sprinting down the hall ignoring all those that were staring at her. She didn't know what she was expecting when she entered the infirmary, but it wasn't what she found. Everything was calm and in order. She scanned the room quickly looking for some sign of trouble but there was nothing. Her eyes settled on Sesshoumaru. He was exactly where she left him a few hours ago.

Kagome sighed; she really needed to go home and get a good night's sleep. Quietly, she gathered her belongings and got ready to leave. She stood next to Sesshoumaru's bed and gazed down at his sleeping face with a melancholy smile. Kagome gently ran the tips of her fingers across the stripes on his cheek before lowering her hand. She turned to go but was stopped when an arm shot out and grabbed hold of her wrist. She let out a strangled cry and turned back around to find a pair of confused golden eyes peering at her curiously.

"Ses-Sesshoumaru? Oh Kami, hey can you hear me?" she cried as she moved to sit next to him on the bed.

"Sesshoumaru it's Kagome; do you know where you are?"

At his weak nod she frowned.

"You're in the infirmary…uh…well it's a place where healers make you well again. You've been unconscious for over a week. When…when I found you, you weren't breathing. I tried so hard to get you to wake up but you wouldn't. I thought…I thought you were going to die, Sesshoumaru"

Kagome tried not to cry but she couldn't help it. She was worried for him and his future. They may not have been the best of friends in the past but time had changed both of them. She could forgive his past transgressions against her and she hoped he could do the same and allow her to help him.

She stared into his face in the hopes that she would see some sign of the demon lord she knew. Sometimes, when a person had a serious traumatic event that left them near dead their minds would shift and reset back to a time when things made sense.

Before they could begin though, Kagome needed to know why he tried to kill himself. He had been doing so well and she was so confident that his recovery was getting closer. She wanted to believe that the worst was behind them and that he would never attempt something like this again. The last thing she wanted was to see him confined in restraints that she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, wouldn't hold him if he was truly determined.

She was brought out of her thoughts when a hand, much softer than she was expecting, came up and began wiping away the tears from her cheeks. She smiled at him and fought to keep more tears from flowing.

"Sesshoumaru…why? Why did you do this?" she whispered.

"I do not want to be alone any longer" he replied softly.

"But, you're not alone. I'm here. Whether you realize it or not, I'm here for you."

"You will never understand"

"Then help me to understand! I don't know what happened after I left but whatever it was must have been horrible for you to live through. You've lost everything that was important to you but I don't know how. Help me to find the answers, Sesshoumaru."

"She told me…she told me to return. She told me I couldn't stay."

"Who told you that?"

"My Lady. She was there…with my sons. They were happy. I wanted to stay with them forever but she made me return here."

"She obviously had a reason for telling you that. I'm sure that wherever she is, she wants you to be happy. She wants you to live, Sesshoumaru. I'm sure of that."

"What is the point of living when all that you are is gone?"

"I don't believe that. You've lost a lot, Sesshoumaru. You won't hear any kind of argument from me on that but deep down, hidden beneath everything you are still _you._ Moments like this, moments of clarity that is all you fighting your way back from whatever hell you have trapped yourself in for so long."

"There is no greater hell than the one that is reality"

"Sesshoumaru let me help you, please. I can't erase what happened but I can help you see past it. I can help you become someone again. Let me help you"

"You ask for things that you should be asking for yourself woman."

"What are you talking about?"

"I am not the only one who seeks salvation, miko. You are here to help me you say? Who is going to come and help you?"

~~~~~~B~~~~~~

"Did he give you any trouble when you escorted him back to his room?" Onishi questioned. He was surprised when he came down and found Sesshoumaru and Kagome engaged in a conversation. He knew it was only a matter of time before Sesshoumaru woke up but he honestly thought it would have been long before he actually did it.

"No, I was surprised actually. I thought we were going to have to sedate him to move him. But, he just asked to go back to his room. I thought he was going to run but he just let me lead him up there" Kagome replied.

"Did he say anything?"

"Not really. He just went and laid down on the bed. I don't think he's asleep just…meditating"

"What did he say to you before I came down?"

Kagome wrinkled her nose. What she and Sesshoumaru talked about wasn't exactly something she wanted to share. It was a personal moment between two former enemies who on occasion became allied.

"We didn't talk about much. I asked him why he did it. He told me that he didn't want to be alone anymore."

"Well, we have him under surveillance with a nurse and guard stationed in his room for the night. I don't think he'll try anything again but I'd like to be sure for the time being. You should get home; it's been a long day."

Kagome nodded and fought off the yawn that was building. Onishi bowed to her and went on his way while she went to her office to gather her things. Once she had everything, including the bag of Sesshoumaru's belongings, she departed the asylum for home. She wanted to take a nice long soak in the tub and then go through that bag. Despite the fact that Onishi had told her that what was in it was everything that had been found with Sesshoumaru, she knew that to be a lie. The bag was relatively light. If _everything_ was in the bag, then it would have been considerably heavier. She had no idea where Sesshoumaru's swords were but she hoped like hell that wherever they were the person or persons' who had them didn't know what they were or the power that they held. While she as positive that no one could use them besides the demon lord, she wasn't sure that she wanted to take that risk. Bakusaiga was a terrible and dangerous sword and it belonged only in the hands of its master.

~~~~~~B~~~~~~

By the time Kagome stepped out of the bathtub she was thoughourly relaxed and comfortable. As it had been in the past, a hot bath was one of the only ways that she could relax fully. She was able to really think and organize her thoughts when she sat in the relative peace and quiet of a bath. Most people saw bathing and showering as chore but she saw it as an art form.

Once she was dried, dressed in comfortable sleep wear and had some food in her stomach she settled down on the couch with the bag containing Sesshoumaru's belongings nestled on the floor between her feet. She didn't know why but she was nervous about what she would find contained in the bag. She figured that the items had to be very personal if Sesshoumaru held onto them for so long and kept them in perfect condition. Her hands were shaking slightly as she dipped them into the bag and pulled out the first tissue wrapped article. Carefully she unwapped the item and smiled at what she saw. It was a child's kimono but not just any child's. The familiar orange and yellow checkered pattern was hard to forget. It was equally hard to forget the tiny child that owned it, blindly following behind her lord. That was how Kagome would remember her. In her eyes, Rin would always be the exuberant young girl whose smile could turn even the angriest person happy.

With another smile, she wrapped the kimono back up in the protective tissue and set it aside. Reaching in, she pulled out the next item and began unwrapping it. Another set of clothing appeared before her eyes and this one brought back more memories. The familiar white and red pattern on the sleeves instantly transported her mind to a massive grave containing a sword desired by two brothers. The image of a demon standing over her with the intent to kill her rang as clear as a bell in her mind. Sesshoumaru's clothing brought uncomfortable memories to her mind but not ones from the past. They were from the present and the knowledge that the demon who wore this would never be the same again. He may recover a part of himself but he would never again be who he was.

The next thing she found in the bag was a beautifully crafted necklace. The delicate silver chain held a pendant the likes of which she had never before seen; a crescent moon with three stars at the top. She was positive that this belonged to Lady Chiyoko. The moon was identical to the one that graced Sesshoumaru's forehead while the three stars matched the pattern that she had seen on the lady in Sesshoumaru's drawings. He must have had this made for her when they mated. The simplicity of it told her that it wasn't a gift to win her favor or one designed to shower her with extravagance; it was designed to show that he loved her and that he would stand by her forever. Instead of placing the necklace back in the bag, Kagome kept It aside. She was sure Sesshoumaru would have believed it to be lost and it might bring him a small amount of comfort to know that it had been found and was safe.

Finally, there were only two wrapped items left in the bag and she quickly brought out the next one. It was a stack of thick scrolls that had been unrolled and carefully preserved. Kagome peered curiously at them and began reading the first one. They were letters, written in war time to a loved one but they weren't written by Lady Chiyoko. These were letters written by Sesshoumaru to her while he was away in battle. Her curiosity was bursting at the seams at the chance to see what Sesshoumaru told his mate in private but if she started reading them now she knew she would never get to bed. She set them on the end table next to her couch; she would tackle them tomorrow.

The final item pulled from the bag was slightly heavier than the rest but she could tell instantly that it was another set of clothing. Assuming that it was something else that belonged to the lady she quickly began to unwrap it. Her body froze and her mind began to swim with memories as soon as the tissue was pulled away. Why did Sesshoumaru have this? How did he get it? So many things were going through her mind and she found that she couldn't get them all organized the way she wanted. The face of a loud mouthed, hot headed, stubborn hanyou came to mind and she couldn't help by cry. In her hands she held the one thing she didn't think she would ever see again; Inuyasha's fire rat robe. It was exactly the same as it was when she last saw it on its owner. She wanted to believe deep inside her heart that he was still out there. She wanted the chance to explain to him why she never came back but how she never forgot about him even for a minute. She knew, by the robe in her hands that she would never get that chance.

"Oh Inuyasha" she whispered to no one "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry"

~~~~~~B~~~~~~

"Are you alright Higurashi? You look terrible?" Onishi questioned as they stepped onto the elevator and headed to the 5th floor.

"I'm fine, I just didn't sleep well is all" she replied. Well, technically she should have said she didn't sleep at all but she didn't think that was really all that important. Her boss didn't need to know that she spent the night crying over someone who had been dead for hundreds of years.

"How was Sesshoumaru last night?" she questioned when the silence became too much.

"He was quiet for the most part. The nurse who sat in there told me that he began talking to himself in the middle of the night but she couldn't really understand what he was saying and she didn't want to get closer to him."

"Damn, I was hoping that we had gotten past that. He was lucid during the converstion we had yesterday and I thought that we would be able to move on."

"Moments of lucidity don't always mean that things are looking up. He's had some normal conversations with you before but they never lasted long."

"True but I can still hope."

"Some _demons_ are harder to get rid of than you think Higurashi. But, I will not begrudge you your hope. Sometimes hope is all that is left in the end"

Kagome looked at her mentor curiously as the elevator doors opened and he stepped out. They both nodded to the guard that was stationed outside and waited for him to open the door. Onishi dismissed the nurse and guard who were in the room while Kagome turned her eyes to Sesshoumaru. He was pacing and seemed a little agitated.

"Sesshoumaru?" she called. He stopped pacing and turned to face her. He looked deeply worried and almost…frightened.

"Sesshoumaru what's wrong?" she asked

"Father is coming. He's very angry. He's going to punish me because he thinks it was my fault but it wasn't! I promise it wasn't!" he cried.

"It's alright, calm down and tell me what happened?"

"Mother's favorite vase…I didn't do it! I don't know how it got broken but it wasn't me!"

"Okay, I believe you. Why don't you come sit by me over here okay? We'll talk to your father together when he gets here."

"You promise?" he sniffed.

"Of course. Come sit with me" she said as she sat down on the ground and patted the spot next to her.

Sesshoumaru quickly did as she asked and sat next to her. Kagome let out a small gasp when his arms went around her body and he buried his face into her neck. He was shaking and clearly frightened of whatever punishment he believed his father was going to come inflict upon him. She gently began to stroke his head while lightly rubbing his arm for comfort.

"It's alright, Sesshoumaru. No one is going to hurt you" she told him quietly.

He shuddered and she felt a few tears drip onto her neck. He really was terrified.

She remembered her own childhood at that moment and the time that she spilled fruit juice all over the carpet. She was deathly afraid of her mother and what she would do. She was so afraid that she blamed the accident on Souta. He was only 3 and didn't deserve the punishment their mother handed out but to this day Kagome had never come clean about it. One of these days she would have to make a point and do that.

She felt Sesshoumaru shift next to her and lay his head in her lap. She continued to run her fingers through his hair until he stiffened and turned hardened golden eyes towards her face. He sat up and stared at her.

"Where is she?" he all but demanded.

"Where is who, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome questioned.

"_My Mate!_ You smell like her. You have been around her and you _will_ tell me where she is!" he growled.

Kagome's brow furrowed; she smelled like the Lady? How was that possible? She had never even met Lady Chiyoko how could she…

Her hands immediately dug into her pocket where she extracted the necklace she had found the night before. She couldn't believe that after all this time it still held some of her scent on it but she knew that Sesshoumaru's nose was a thousand times shaper than she could ever hope hers was.

Slowly she lifted the necklace so he could see it. Instantly he snatched it from her hand and pulled it close to him.

"I found that last night when I was going through some of your belongings. I meant to give it to you when I got here but I forgot"

"I…I gave this to her the night I took her as my mate. I had it made to show her that I would always honor the promises that I made to her; that I would always protect her and…and love her"

"It's beautiful, Sesshoumaru. I'm sure she wore it with pride"

"She never took it off"

His gaze left the necklace and settled on her face. His eyes softened a bit before he moved closer. He took the delicate clasp between two fingers and released it. Gently lifted it and placed it around Kagome's neck, securing the clasp and moving her hair out of the way. His hand lingered on the pendant for a moment before he pulled away.

"Sesshoumaru…are you sure?" she asked him.

"She would have wanted it to be so."

"Thank you. I promise to take care of it."

Sesshoumaru leaned forward again almost hesitantly. He stopped when his face was just inches from hers. Kagome held her breath, unsure of what he was going to do. She watched as he closed his eyes, lifted his hand and placed it behind her head before pressing his lips to her forehead. Kagome was surprised but she understood; a promise that had been made hundreds of years before she had even been born to a woman who was more extraordinary than she ever would be had just been made to her.


	15. Love Letters from the Front Lines

A/N: I would like to take a minute to offer my extreme gratitude to all of my fans for nominating this story 2nd place Best Darkfic/Horror for the second quarter in a row! Thank you everyone! You are the greatest fans a person could ask for! Now, about this chapter...this is going to be a rollercoaster chapter of thoughts, feelings and emotions. Oh...and there is a nice, healthy dose of citrus at the end just for you my lovely readers! As always thanks for reading and reviews are always appreciated!

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

Love Letters from the Front Lines.

The apartment was completely silent save for the natural sounds coming from the building. The normal hustle and bustle of the individual who lived there was strangely subdued. Around the corner from the kitchen in the bedroom, a lump lay huddled beneath thick blankets desperate for the warmth they provided.

The lump shifted and a quiet groan echoed loudly through the room. A small beeping noise sounded and soon after a digital thermometer was thrown roughly onto the nightstand. _101.5_. If there was one thing Kagome hated most in the world it was being sick. For three days she had not moved from her bedroom, save to shower and go to the bathroom. She watched as her temperature climbed steadily finally reaching its highest point this afternoon. She had no idea how she had gotten sick but at this point she didn't care. All she wanted was to crawl into a hole and die.

Realistically she knew that, that wasn't an option but still…She knew she should probably make an appointment to get looked at and get some medication but the bed was just so damn comfortable! She knew she needed to eat something but every time she thought about food, her stomach would convulse painfully. What she wouldn't give for some of her mother's homemade soup right now but she didn't want to get her mom sick too. Deciding that food could wait a few more hours, Kagome snuggled under the blankets even more. Just as sleep was about to claim her again, her phone vibrated on her nightstand. She blindly reached out for it, knocking a few things over before finally taking it in her grasp and answering it.

"Hello?" she answered weakly.

"_Hello Higurashi, how are you feeling?" Onishi asked._

"I've felt better Onishi-sensei. I'm sorry but I don't think I will be in the rest of this week"

"_That's alright Higurashi."_

"How's Sesshoumaru?" she questioned.

"_He's…restless. I think has grown accustomed to you visiting with him every day. He keeps searching the room; I think he's looking for you" he replied quietly._

"I could come by just to let him know that I'm okay…"

"_No, that's not necessary Higurashi. You need to stay home and get well. I'll try and explain it to him if he becomes too agitated"_

"Thank you Onishi-sensei. I worry about him; now more than ever"

"_I know, Kagome. Get some more rest and I will let you know if anything changes"_

"Thank you sir."

The line went dead and Kagome groaned as she rolled over. She knew it wasn't her boss' intent to make her worry but she couldn't help it. Sesshoumaru was still so fragile after everything that happened and she didn't want her being sick to set him back once again. Her hand instinctively went to the necklace that she hadn't removed since it was placed around her neck. She still didn't understand the real reason Sesshoumaru had decided to give it to her. He told her that the necklace was a promise of protection and love to his mate but there was no way Sesshoumaru felt any sort of _love_ for her. Yes, he probably trusted her more than anyone else right now and she was thankful for that but that did make her feel any better. She hoped that he understood that she and his mate were two different beings. She had enough of people making false pledges of protection and love because they believed she was someone she wasn't.

Now that she was completely awake and burdened with unwanted thoughts and feelings that had been buried long ago, Kagome willed her body into motion. She didn't need to look into the mirror to know that she looked awful. She needed a shower and something to eat and unfortunately she wasn't going to get those things with a simple wave of her hand or twitch of her nose.

~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~

"Is she alright?"

"I believe she will be just fine. She is ill, there is no question about that but I'm sure that it will pass" Onishi replied.

"When will she be back?"

"Most likely not until next week. I would rather she stay home and recover then be here where she will just get worse"

"How is he handling her absence?"

"Not well. He is highly agitated and uncomfortable. He has come to depend on her presence whether he realizes it or not."

"This cannot go on much longer _Onishi_. There are things that she needs to be told; things that should have been told the minute she discovered Sesshoumaru's residency here."

"What would you have me do? She is completely vested in his recovery as she should be but she is not prepared to handle everything."

"You don't know Kagome like I do; she's a lot stronger than you think she is."

"He made a promise to her…" Onishi trailed of quietly "the necklace…he gave it to her. I had no idea that he still had it. I thought it was just something that he held onto. I had no idea that it was _that_ necklace"

"Does it bother you?"

"Yes and no. It makes me sad to know what that necklace represents…what was lost. But at the same time I agree with Sesshoumaru; she would have wanted it."

"You still miss her don't you?"

"More than you could ever imagine, my friend. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her. All that is left is that disaster of a man that calls himself Sesshoumaru."

~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~

Showered and changed, Kagome curled up onto the couch with a cup of tea beside her on the table and a bowl of soup cooling in her hands. She had an appointment the following day at the local clinic to get herself checked and hopefully to get some medication to help her feel better faster. She never thought that she would miss working but honestly she was bored out of her mind. TV could only entertain her for so long and she didn't want to start a new book that she knew she wouldn't finish. She thought about doing a little more research about Sesshoumaru's movements the last 400 years but every time she turned on the computer to do that, she was quickly dismayed by the lack of information. He really had disappeared off the face of the earth until he was discovered in that cave. She wondered if he lived there the entire time since his mate and children were killed.

Thoughts of Sesshoumaru suddenly reminded her that she had a stack of letter that she could read through. She had filed them away in the drawer of her nightstand for safe keeping. She'd been meaning to get to them it just hadn't happened yet. Slowly she rose from the couch and padded her way to the bedroom. She returned a few minutes later with the thick stack of letters held carefully in her hand. Nervous excitement filled her body when she unwrapped the protective pieces of tissue paper.

The parchment was yellowing slightly and the ink had faded quite a bit but the letters were still legible. She flipped through them a little and noticed that they were all in chronological order. _Figures_ she thought with a laugh_ even in insanity Sesshoumaru _would_ keep everything in perfect order._

Kagome snorted, held in the painful chuckle that was bubbling deep within and picked up the first letter. Sesshoumaru had elegant handwriting; not that she expected anything less from the demon lord.

_My Lady;_

_In these troubling times of war, I find that our correspondence brings me a comfort that I have not known before. While nothing would please this Sesshoumaru more than to be by your side at this moment, it cannot be. Honor and duty to my allies will not allow me to see them fall into ruin. Were it not for my promise to keep you safe, you would be here with me. _

_This Sesshoumaru finds it strange that we have been mated for only a few months yet it is already difficult for me to be away from you. Never before has this Sesshoumaru felt such an attachment to another individual and I find myself unsure of how to proceed. I have never needed the companionship of another person for I have always felt that I was better off alone. I will admit, when Rin came into my life I had a new purpose that I would not have imagined; I was needed. My father asked me once if I had something to protect. At the time, this Sesshoumaru told him that he was being ridiculous. If someone was so weak that they needed to be protected then they were not worthy of this Sesshoumaru's attention. Then, I met Rin and I understood what father meant. When she left me to marry I found myself deeply conflicted. For the first time in many years this Sesshoumaru was faced with the prospect of being alone. As a solitary creature, this had not bothered me in the past but as the day drew closer to her departure the feelings turned from sadness to fear. The great Sesshoumaru was indeed, afraid of being alone._

_Ironic isn't it? I spent the next fifteen years convincing myself that I needed no one. There was pressure on all sides for me to mate yet I had retreated to my previous notion of solitude._ _To think that it took one simple meeting with a woman to change my feelings on the matter. _

_I am not an expressive male by any means Chiyoko. Emotions and feelings have always been something that this Sesshoumaru felt was a sign of weakness. Yet as I sit here my thoughts dwell on you and you alone. The battle outside this tent could be raging and it would not quell my desire for you to be with me. I may not voice my feelings and desires vocally but this Sesshoumaru would wish for you to understand that he is not as cold and emotionless as many have been led to believe. Passion and devotion run deep within our race but I had not understood them until you. When peace is restored and this foolish war is ended this Sesshoumaru vows to prove his intentions towards you my mate for days, perhaps even weeks on end. Every desire and fantasy that we could ever dream of will come to light. I will explore your body until not even a single hair is unknown to this Sesshoumaru's touch._

_Be patient my mate and know that even in this dismal place, my thoughts are focused on you and I await the day when I can join you again._

_I am eternally yours,_

_Sesshoumaru_

Kagome set the letter aside while a bright smile lit up her features. This was the side of Sesshoumaru that no one had ever before seen. The hardened mask of a proud warrior seemed to crumble around this woman. As much as he tried to deny his feelings she had found the way to bring them to light. He would never allow anyone to witness a softer, more affectionate side of the stoic lord. But with this woman, he allowed that façade to crack. This was the Sesshoumaru that Kagome was hoping to recover. While she knew that it was only with the lady that he was allowed total and complete freedom with his emotions, she hoped that he would at least open up to her.

With a deep sigh, Kagome continued to delve deep within the mind of demon who was more complex than she ever could have imagined.

~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~

_Stupid cold! Stupid medicine! Stupid everything! _Kagome was fuming. 5 hours worth of waiting in the clinic all for a damn cold. She should have just sucked it up and dealt with it but no, she had to be paranoid and think she was dying. The medicine they put her on made her extremely sleepy but she did her best to resist the call of her bed. She would much rather be back to work but they told her she needed to remain home for the rest of the week. While she understood that if she went to work while she was still contagious she could get a lot of people sick but when your only patient was a demon who had survived hundreds of years there really wasn't much to worry about. But, she at least had something to occupy her time now.

Sesshoumaru's letters had become an obsession. She spent hours upon hours during the day carefully reading through each one. She didn't realize that there were so many when she first began but when she finished reading her 100th letter she decided to count them. Sesshoumaru was nothing if not good at communication and the final tally ended up at 477. Obviously, he went to war often. For some reason, that thought made her sad. While she did not doubt that Sesshoumaru spent every waking minute with his mate it seemed that throughout the length of their being together he was gone a lot. She wondered if Lady Chiyoko was every bothered by that. Unfortunately, she didn't have the corresponding letters that were sent to Sesshoumaru; only his responses. She wished that they had been found too but if the accounts of Sesshoumaru's last moments of contact with the world were accurate, they were left on the battlefield. She hoped that one day they would be found but she knew by this point they were probably long gone.

Settling back in her favorite chair, Kagome grabbed the stack of letters and picked up where she left off the night before.

_My dearest mate,_

_It has been many cycles of the moon since I have been able to sit and compose a response to your last letter. The enemy has kept us on the move constantly and the soldiers grow weary. I long for the nights of peace that we once had and envision a time when this foolish fighting will be over. My heart aches for you and our son and only when I can stand in the presence of the both of you will I truly be content._

_I ask very little of you my mate but there is something that I am going to beg of you. Yes, I, Sesshoumaru am going to beg. Your attempts to hide your despair from me were not successful. I know you are hurting and nothing that anyone can say will appease that pain but I want you to understand that I do not think any less of you. I know that my words have fallen on deaf ears but I implore you to hear me. If there is any one of us that should be shamed by what happened it is I. The night I took you as my mate I promised to protect you always. I have failed in that duty and I beg your forgiveness. I should have ended his life long before now but I have not. _

_Now you are forced to live in fear and that is not acceptable to this Sesshoumaru! When the time comes his life will be mine, make no mistake about that but until that happens I can only hope to offer you comfort. While I will never know what it is that you are feeling your sadness brings me great pain, Chiyoko. I wish that I could reverse time because the Kami's know that there are so many things that I would do differently. I never would have allowed you to leave my side that night. Had I know that Ryuunosuke would have been so foolish as to betray our alliance in such a grievous manner you would have never have had to go through what you did. The sight of your broken and bloodied body was almost too much for me to take. I would not wish that horror on even my worst enemies._

_I have done what I could to ease your conscious but I fear that it has not been enough. I know you see yourself as unworthy of my attention and affection but that is not the case. I am the one who does not deserve the love you hold in your heart for me. I know you are not used to seeing such raw emotions from me but I can no longer keep them hidden when you so easily pluck them from the depths and bring them to the surface. _

_The whispers claim that you have softened and tamed me but that is not the case. I will fight for you with a fierce intensity that has never before been seen since the days of my sire's rule. Your love gives me the strength to continue on I hope that you understand that._

_So here it is that I beg of you to let go of your fear and shame. I plead with you to not think of my words and cold or insensitive but I refuse to allow this to destroy you. You are the daughter of kings and queens my mate and were you to stand upon a pedestal the Kami's themselves would bow down before you in prayer. When I return I will remind you just what it is that I feel for you. It is true that I have difficulty expressing my feelings to you with words but I am afraid that some habits are hard to break. We will have a lifetime together for you to teach me the way._

_I bid you farewell now and give you the promise that I will be returning to you soon. Do not despair for tomorrow the sun will rise on a new day and with that dawn comes the courage to rise up and face your fears with me by your side._

_I am forever your mate as you are my soul,_

_Sesshoumaru._

Kagome sighed as she put down the stack of papers. It was amazing to her to see the transformation that Sesshoumaru had undergone displayed on the ancient rolls of parchment before her. She was roughly halfway through them but the difference in his personality was astounding. His first letters, while not necessarily lacking in emotion, were still very formal and stiff. That was how she knew Sesshoumaru. But as she got further along his entire demeanor had changed. He, for the most part, abandoned his annoying habit of speaking in the third person, he allowed his emotions to show a little more each time but more importantly she could clearly see that even though it was never said, Sesshoumaru was completely in love with the woman. She thought back to one of their first sessions where Sesshoumaru claimed that he never told his mate he loved her. While he may have not come out and said those exact words, these letters were proof enough for her that he did. On the outside he was still the stoic demon that tried to kill her but on the inside he was a hopeless romantic.

Kagome giggled to herself at that thought. The words 'hopeless romantic' were ones that she never ever expected to associate with Sesshoumaru. She wondered what it would be like to have someone so completely devoted to her like Sesshoumaru was to Chiyoko. Most of her relationships consisted of either love sick high school boys who were dull as a post; overbearing, pompous males who had a misguided sense of loyalty or one emotionally confused hanyou who refused to look beyond the physical appearance and saw only what he wanted to see.

Granted she couldn't exactly call Hojo and Kouga 'relationships'. Hojo, while incredibly sweet and attentive could bore the paint off of walls. Kouga, with his upfront attitude made him slightly more approachable but she never saw him as anything more than a friend. Inuyasha…well once upon a time when Kagome lived in the dream world, she thought Inuyasha was her prince charming. He was undeniably the first and only person she had ever fallen in love with to this date. She understood now that she couldn't fully understand what it was that she was thinking back then. She loved Inuyasha that much is certain but over time the feelings had evolved into something different. She saw him now as a friend and knew that her high school crush was simply that; a crush. Had she been able to remain or even return to the past things might have been different for her. There was a chance that she would have pursued a relationship with him and she was sure that they would have been happy once he grew up a little but fate had other plans for her. She realized now that there was a reason why she was returned home and not allowed to pass through time again. She had a different purpose; a different destiny now. She began a new journey the day she set foot in the asylum but unlike her trips into the past; she was unsure if this journey would end in happiness or despair.

~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~

The final day of Kagome's incarceration in her own home was drawing to a close. She was cleared to go back to work tomorrow and she was definitely looking forward to it. A week of doing nothing but lying around was not her style at all and she couldn't wait to get out and be productive again. Onishi-sensei called her yesterday to check up on her and was pleased to hear that she would be back soon. According to him, Sesshoumaru remained restless but had not had any major incidents while she was gone. Knowing that removed a huge weight that settled over her. While she knew that he was in good hands she didn't want him thinking he abandoned her. Everyone that was ever important to him was gone and she realized that she was all Sesshoumaru had in the world. Her mind was constantly filled with thoughts of him and that alone caused her to freeze.

_When did he weave himself so completely into my life? He's all I think about these days. I haven't even talked to my mother in 3 weeks because I've been so focused on helping him get better_ she thought to herself.

It wasn't that she minded one bit she was just amazed at how she had made him such an important part of her life. She knew that it went way beyond the fact that he was her patient. While Kagome loved her job and what she did she knew that she wouldn't be as dedicated to a complete stranger who was a patient as she was to Sesshoumaru. It was most likely because she _knew_ him in the past but a part of her kept saying that it was something else.

Shaking her head, Kagome refused to think on it further. She stole a glance at the clock only to find that it was nearly eleven in the evening. She really needed to get to bed so she could be up early. She looked down at the stack of letters in her hand only to realize with a mild shock that there was only one left. She had read through every single one of them during the week and she hadn't even realized it. She debated if she wanted to read it now or go to bed but in the end her stubborn curiosity won out and she snuggled under the blanket a little further and began reading.

_My Lady Chiyoko,_

_The battle is drawing to a close and soon the lands will be free of the vile Ryuunosuke. The coward has fled but we will soon have him in our grasp. His lands are in ruin and his empire has failed; it is a glorious day for the House of the West. The pain and suffering he brought into our home will soon be nothing more than a distant memory on the wind and you will finally be able to live in complete safety and freedom._

_I miss you, more than you know in these times. I miss your laughter, your smile and the sparkle of your eyes. I miss the feel of your body pressed so closely to mine while we get lost in the pleasures of passion. I wish to see you writhing under me while I bury myself deep within your most sacred treasure over and over again. I long to feel your walls clench around me as I bring you to the heights of pleasure that you have never before been to. To hear the sound of your voice screaming my name to the heavens above is enough to set my blood on fire with desire as I sit here and write this to you. I can tell you with absolute certainty that as soon as much feet touch upon the ground in our home you will be sequestered in our chambers for at least a month and you will not be walking properly when I am finished with you my delicious mate._

_I have been away for far too long so you must forgive the rather impolite turn that this message has taken. Perhaps I have grown soft with age as my top general has frequently told me is the case. I know throughout the years I have opened up and been able to express myself to you freely while still maintaining the image of and I quote 'An arrogant, self absorbed bastard'. Apparently I am no longer as adept and hiding those emotions if even Ichirou is picking up on them. It is strange that I no longer care for I have never hidden the fact that I am completely dedicated to you and our sons. It makes me proud to know that you will be waiting to stand by my side once I return from this hell._

_Your report on the progress that Takehiko and Rikuto have made during their daily lessons brings me a great sense of pride. They truly are amazing pups and will one day rule the west with intelligence, strength and compassion. It pleases me to hear that Yoshiro is walking proudly now. It seems like it was only yesterday that he could barely hold his head up and now he is walking around the halls of our home terrorizing the servants. I would expect nothing less from my son. I imagine that Jaken and the servants are cursing both of our names right now for subjecting them to the torment and care of three pups who are close in age. At the time of my sire there was only myself and though I was a handful myself they had a much simpler task than they do now. Perhaps I should consider giving them an increase in their compensation. Perhaps._

_I am rambling on again aren't I? I am simply anxious for this to all be over and for us to resume our lives together. There is no greater hell or torture that I can fathom is worse than not waking up at your side when the dawn comes to the west._

_I bid you farewell for now and apologize for this being so short. The final battle is upon us and I must prepare._

_I am forever your servant, your mate and your love,_

_Sesshoumaru_

Kagome couldn't help but allow the stray tear to fall from her cheek when she finished reading the letter. The amount of love and devotion Sesshoumaru displayed through his words was astounding. It wasn't that she felt him incapable of compassion and love that had her shedding tears. It was the knowledge that shortly after this letter was sent all that he was expecting to come home would be destroyed. Silently, she said a prayer and hoped to the Kami's above that this letter had been received before the western world fell into darkness.

~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~

_The moon was casting deep, mysterious shadows across the walls when Kagome's eyes drifted open. The unfamiliar surroundings immediately caught her attention and caused her to sit up quickly. She was lying atop a mountain of extravagant silks and lush pillows but had no idea how or when she got there. The next thing she became conscious of was her _lack_ of clothing. She shook her head for a minute before pulling back the silk blanket again. Yes, definitely still naked. _

_A deep chuckle to her right made her snap her head painfully in the direction of the sound. Kagome was positive that her eyes were going to fall out of their sockets and her jaw was going to be permanently stuck to the floor because standing at the open balcony was Sesshoumaru naked as the day he was born._

_Dreaming. She had to be dreaming; that was the only explanation for it. But the more she thought about it there would be no reason for her to dream about Sesshoumaru naked. Most of her dreams about Sesshoumaru were deeply disturbing while this…well this was not. _

_She dared to glance in his direction only to find his golden eyes staring at her with amusement. She flushed a few different shades of red before quickly turning her head away. She heard him chuckle again before the sound of his bare feet on the floor forced her to look up again. She was silently making his way over to the bed and she instinctively moved to cover herself._

"_Why do you shy away?" he asked while taking a seat next to her on the massive bed._

"_What am I doing here?"_

"_This is your dream woman. This Sesshoumaru has no idea why his presence is required" he replied smoothly "I will not, however, complain about the view"_

_Kagome quickly moved to make sure she was covered completely while muttering something that resembled the word 'pervert' under her breath. Sesshoumaru's smirk grew even larger._

"_This is a little weird" she blurted out quickly._

"_Indeed but that does not mean that we should waste the opportunity that we have been given" he said while he moved closer._

"_What opportunity?" she questioned nervously._

_Slowly his hand came up to rest where she had the sheet held tightly to her body. Without waiting for a sign from her he stripped it away and let it fall to the edge of a bed. Kagome attempted to cover herself but was stopped when his larger hands pulled them away. She looked up at him questioningly but he simply gazed at her with lust filled eyes._

"_What are you—"she began but she was silenced when an elegant, clawed finger came to rest across her lips._

"_Do not think just feel" he told her before he lowered his lips to hers in a soft but hesitant kiss._

_Kagome was in a state of total shock. Sesshoumaru was kissing her. Her! This was definitely one hell of a dream. It took a minute before Kagome fully realized what was going but once she did she decided to go with the flow. It was just a dream after all. When she felt his lips move against hers a little harder she felt that it was time to be an active participant. Her hands came up to tangle in his long silver hair and she kissed him back._

_Sesshoumaru smirked against her lips before lightly trailing his fingers up her side and down her arm. He delighted in the shiver that ran up her body in response. Deciding to push things a little further, Sesshoumaru abandoned his mouth and nipped along her bottom jaw. A quiet moan was his reward and encouragement to continue. His mouth moved down her neck until it came to rest on her full breasts and the hardened peaks of her nipples. He was unable to resist their call and quickly latched on. _

_Kagome bucked underneath him, powerless to stop the sensations that were flooding her body. Sesshoumaru's mouth was doing terribly indecent things to her but she wasn't about to complain. She moaned loudly when his teeth grazed the heated skin of her stomach. She was so lost in a lust filled haze that she hadn't even realized he abandoned her breasts. She dared to look down and found that he was staring at her with an almost feral look in his eyes. She knew what he wanted next and who was she to deny him that?_

_The moment his tongue came into contact with her moist fold she nearly lost all control. Sesshoumaru gave a rumbling growl that she could only interpret as a sign of approval before delving deeper and brining her to pleasures that she had never before experienced. His tongue swirled around her swollen clit before he gently nipped at it._

_That one simple action proved to be her undoing and Kagome didn't fight it when the intense orgasm ripped through her body. She was hot, sweaty and panting for breath and she loved every minute of it. _

_Sesshoumaru was pleased with her reactions but his body already desired more. His swollen member was begging for release and he knew that he wouldn't be able to deny it much longer. With a tiny pop, he removed his face from between her legs and began crawling up her body. He stared down at her flushed face and smiled. She was beautiful when she was like this._

"_Open your eyes" he commanded softly._

_Kagome barely registered his words but complied none the less. She could feel his desire for her pressing against her and it only managed to arouse her further._

"_Please Sesshoumaru…" she begged._

"_Kagome…"he whispered before he lowered himself and gently began to…_

Kagome's eyes shot open and she struggled to draw in a breath. She quickly looked around to find that she was exactly where she was supposed to be; in her apartment.

"What the hell was that all about?" she screamed aloud. While she couldn't deny that the dream was better than her previous ones she had no idea what caused it. Sure, Sesshoumaru was a gorgeous male in any time period but it still didn't change the fact that it was Sesshoumaru! There was no logical reason why she would dream about having an extremely erotic encounter with the demon. Well, at least that's what she told herself.

~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~

Halfway across town in a darkened room, golden eyes opened slowly and took in their surroundings. Sesshoumaru had no idea why he was dreaming about that woman who came to visit him every day, but if that was what he dreamed about every night going forward he would have nothing to complain about.


	16. Unexpected Deliveries

_A/N: Hey look an update, it's only a month late! Sorry everyone. I've been fighting one of the worst cases of bronchitis I've ever had and it's still not completely gone. Also I'm moving so I've been trying to pack, so thanks everyone for your patience. Thank you all for the lovely reviews and I hope that I can continue to make you happy with this story. This chapter is a little lighter, and has some humor because it's going to start getting pretty heavy from here on out. Please enjoy and reviews are always appreciated!_

_I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated._

Unexpected Deliveries.

_I can do this. I can do this. I can do this!_ Kagome repeated the mantra in her mind over and over again while she made her way from her car to the in inside of the asylum. Really, there was no reason for her to be nervous but she couldn't help but feel like it was her first day all over again. She knew that no one else would know about the dream she had about Sesshoumaru the night before but she had no idea how she was going to react when she saw him. Yes, it was just a dream and didn't _mean_ anything but she couldn't shake the feeling that it meant more than what she was willing to accept.

Kagome shook her head. This was ridiculous! Sesshoumaru was her patient and nothing more. Yes she had a personal connection to him through her forays in the past but that didn't mean anything. They were cautious allies at best and despite how much he had changed he still needed to be treated with hesitance. He could turn on her in an instant and she wouldn't even have a chance to defend herself against him. She would be dead and Sesshoumaru would be left in the world without a single person to care for him. She refused to let that happen.

Squaring her shoulders, Kagome walked confidently into the asylum. She received polite greetings and 'welcome back's' from many of her colleagues and she smiled at them in return. She opted for the stairs instead of the elevator owing to the lack of exercise she had in the past week. By the time she reached the third floor she was tired, sweating and out of breath. The elevator was looking better by the second.

She was never so happy to see the door to her office as she was in this moment. Kagome pulled the key from her pocket and slipped it in the lock quietly. Once she was inside she dropped unceremoniously on her couch and closed her eyes. _Maybe I should have taken a couple extra days off_ she thought before she opened her eyes and decided that the rather large pile of papers on her desk weren't going to read themselves. She had about a half hour before she was supposed to meet Onishi-sensei and get a report on Sesshoumaru since she had been absent. She hoped that he hadn't had any major incidents but assumed there were none since she hadn't been called.

Thoughts of the demon lord instantly brought a deep flush to her face. The dream she had was still fresh in her mind and while she still had no clue what brought it on she couldn't deny that it was…enjoyable. Yes, Sesshoumaru was extremely disturbed and unstable but there was no arguing that the demon was a prime example of the male physique. While she hadn't seen _all_ he had to offer she was positive that he wouldn't disappoint her. Mentally chastising herself for her decidedly inappropriate thoughts, Kagome turned her attention to the papers on her desk and set about getting through some of them before she had to do real work.

~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~

"Welcome back, Higurashi. I trust you are feeling well?" Onishi asked when Kagome entered his office.

Kagome bowed low and offered a polite smile "I'm not better completely but I'm nowhere near as bad as I was" she replied.

"That is good news. You were…greatly missed around here"

"Is he doing alright?" she asked slowly.

"It hasn't been easy" Onishi began "he was undeniably restless at the beginning of last week so much so that we had to increase the amount of sedative we give him to keep him calm. I did my best to explain to him that you would be returning but he hasn't listened to me in years. The last few days he has become silent and withdrawn. I think it is safe to say that your return could not have come at a better time."

Kagome's eyes were wide with fear when she thought of the last time he pulled away from everyone. She couldn't go through that again.

"When can we get started with him?" she asked.

"We can begin immediately if you are ready."

Kagome nodded and turned towards the elevator right away. Onishi chuckled quietly at her enthusiasm and followed behind. Before long, the two were making the familiar trip down the hallway toward Sesshoumaru's room. Kagome was feeling fine until she found herself standing right outside his door. Her nervousness returned and she suddenly had doubts about entering that room.

"Are you alright, Higurashi? You look a little flustered" Onishi commented softly.

"I…no I'm fine Onishi-sensei. Let's get started" she said before she gripped the door handle and swung it open. She stepped confidently inside the room and scanned it quickly looking for Sesshoumaru.

He was lying in his bed with his back to the door and the blanket pulled up tightly around his body. The slow, deep breaths indicated that he was sleeping and Kagome fought to contain the small smile from her lips. These were the moments that endeared him the most to her. She never pictured the stoic demon lord being able to find rest but there he lay; quiet and hopefully peaceful.

"Go slow. You do not want to startle him out of his sleep for it could be dangerous" Onishi whispered in her ear.

Kagome nodded and stepped slowly in his direction. When she was about four feet away she stopped and called his name softly. He stirred but did not turn to face her.

"Sesshoumaru are you awake?"

Silence.

Kagome turned to glance at Onishi but he only shrugged and motioned for her to continue.

"Sesshoumaru I know you can hear me and I know you're awake" she said a little more firmly. She hoped that she would be able to call his bluff; there was no way he had slept through her arrival.

Sure enough, the demon lord huffed quietly and rolled over to face her. His eyes were cold and his expression was sour.

"So you have returned?" he said sternly as he sat up and removed the blankets from his body.

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru. I was ill and unable to be here"

"Feeble humans and your pathetic bodies. It is a wonder that you have managed to survive this long."

"Hey, I can't help it if I get sick you don't have to be an ass about it" she snipped back. He might be crazy, but she wasn't going to take his shit.

Kagome looked up to find Sesshoumaru inches from her face. Her heart began to race; she had no idea what he was going to do. He stared at her with indifference and a hint of anger but she refused to back down. He could challenge her all he wanted but it wasn't going to make much difference; she was too stubborn for that. Slowly she stretched her hand out and took hold of his. He moved to pull away but her grip was firm.

"Sesshoumaru stop" she whispered when he growled at her "come on, let's go sit down and talk."

Kagome side stepped him and was heading for the bed when she felt Sesshoumaru's arms go around her waist and pull her back. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled deeply. She felt the tension leave his body and his aura calmed considerably. She turned in his arms to face him and saw that his eyes had lost the hostility and loathing that were present only seconds before.

"I thought you weren't going to come back" he said quietly.

"I wouldn't do that to you. I promised you that I would be here to help you and I meant it" she replied firmly.

"You are not the first to promise that to me and you will not be the last. In the end, they are all nothing more than liars"

"She didn't break her promise to you, Sesshoumaru. I'm sure that she wanted nothing more than to stay by your side forever but sometimes things happen that are beyond our control."

Sesshoumaru chuckled darkly before taking a seat on his bed. "She told me something similar once on the day my second son was born."

Kagome sat beside him and adjusted herself until she was comfortable. "I'm sure she had good reason to tell you that. You told me about the day your first son was born, would you tell me about the second?"

He peered at her curiously before a silly, lopsided grin appeared on his face. "She is a stubborn woman and guards her secrets well but, she has given me permission to share this with you."

"Tell her that I am grateful to her for allowing it"

"She knows. She always knows…"

~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~

"_Damnit, Sesshoumaru I am not a child! I have allowed you to be the over-protective mate for months and by Kami I am done with it!" Chiyoko screamed._

_The argument had been raging for the better part of an hour and they were still no closer to a solution. It was ridiculous, well in his opinion anyway. There was absolutely no reason that she needed to accompany him to the latest diplomatic dispute that he was asked to mediate on. Yes it was true that her presence had been requested by the mate of one of the other Lord's for they were long time friends. It was also true that if she did not accept the invitation it would be seen as a great insult but she was due to give birth in 3 short weeks and he was not about to risk the safety of his mate and unborn child on the open road. The trip would take him a week, possibly less and he didn't understand why she couldn't just stay behind and wait for him to return._

"_This discussion is over, Chiyoko. You are not going and that is final. I suggest that you calm yourself before you drain yourself of all your energy and cause our pup to suffer."_

"_You cannot order me around like a common servant, Sesshoumaru. I am your mate and you will listen to what I have to say; I deserve that respect at least. I cannot sit within these castle walls any longer. It was tolerable when I was allowed to walk in the gardens and around the ponds but you have restricted my movements to unbelievable levels. I am not even permitted to leave our bed chambers unless you approve of it! What kind of life is that, Sesshoumaru? Do you expect to keep me sealed forever in a protective cage of your making? Would you have me sit here like an old woman as the world passes me by all because you are too afraid to let the world in?"_

_Sesshoumaru felt his anger rise and he fought to control it. Did she not understand that everything he had done was for their safety?_

"_Do you care so little for yourself and our pups that you would risk your life on a pointless journey?" he seethed._

_Chiyoko's eyes widened considerably and she didn't register that her hand had moved until it came in contact with his face. The slap echoed through the room with force and all at once the outside world became deathly silent._

"_How dare you insinuate that I am so heartless and cruel that I do not care what happens to my pups?" she yelled while the first stray tear slipped from her eyes to roll down her cheek and onto the floor. _

"_It would seem that what has been said is true; the great and terrible Western Lord will have his sons to carry on his noble legacy and he apparently has no concern for the feelings of the one who birthed them." Her voice was barely a whisper but he heard the pain that was laced through it. He did not try to stop her when she turned and exited the room in haste; the smell of her tears and sadness affecting him more than she would ever realize._

_~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~_

_For hours he paced the halls of his castle ignoring the call of his inner self that was demanding they go to their mate to apologize and prove just how much they did care for her. As much as he wished to do that he was still angry with her. Sometimes she was too stubborn for her own good and he had no idea how to make her see that. The world outside was dangerous and there was no guarantee that she would be safe even with him by her side. They had too many enemies who wouldn't hesitate to strike when she was most vulnerable and he refused to take that chance. Her life and the life of his unborn pup were too important for that._

_His feet continued to wander though he had no real knowledge of his destination. The servants were giving him a wide birth and that was fine with him. It wasn't until he felt the presence of his ever growing _shadow_ behind him that a portion of his anger melted away and a small smile touched his lips._

"_You should be in your chambers asleep" he gently scolded the boy._

"_Mother is sad" Takehiko replied while coming to a stop beside his father "She is crying and refusing her servants."_

_Sesshoumaru sighed; of course she was refusing her servants. She probably was refusing to eat as well. "Your mother is angry and allowing her emotions to get the best of her."_

"_But, mother is never sad except when you are away. You are here so she should not be sad. I do not like it!" the boy all but yelled._

_Sesshoumaru turned and stared at his son for a moment. He was angry…because his mother was sad? He did not understand but he wished to._

"_You are angry? Explain this."_

_Takehiko's brows knit together in confusion. Was his father not angry that his mother was sad?_

"_I am angry because she is sad. When she is sad she is…hurting. She says that when she is sad she has pain here" he placed his hand over his heart and continued "Mother says that is the worst kind of pain there is, the pain in your heart. I do not want Mother in pain, do you?"_

_Sesshoumaru's mind tried to process everything that the boy was saying. His mate was in physical pain because of the things that he said to her and he found himself ashamed. He had caused her pain; something he promised her that he would never do._

"_No, my son, I do not want your mother to suffer. I will go and…fix the mess that I have created."_

"_You made Mother sad?" the boy's eyes flashed red for a moment before they returned to their normal golden color._

"_Yes, I am afraid that I did but I will remedy that immediately. It is late and you should be asleep" he replied while motioning for the boy to follow him to his room. He had no idea what to do or say that would make his mate understand that he was sorry for what he was said but he was damn well going to try._

_Sesshoumaru ushered his son back into his room and made sure that they boy returned to bed. He gave a quick glance around the room to reassure himself that everything was safe before turning to leave._

"_Father" Takehiko's sleepy voice came softly "Do not make _my mother_ sad again."_

_Sesshoumaru did not miss the threat that his own son was giving him and he was not surprised by the child's protectiveness. He nodded slowly before he left the room and headed off to fix the mess his started._

_~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~_

_The afternoon sun was high and warm but it did nothing to ease the chill that rested heavily between the two youkai walking through the meadow. After talking with his son, Sesshoumaru relented and decided to allow his mate to accompany him. He thought this news would restore her happiness and that they would be able to move on with their lives but that was not the case. Once he told her she simply nodded and retired to their bed. She was asleep before he had even stripped himself of his clothing. For the first night in their mated lives, they slept on opposite sides instead of huddled close and tangled together. Both had woken up in foul moods and so far their walk had been completely silent._

_Sesshoumaru wanted to apologize to her for his behavior but his pride would not allow it. He was her alpha after all and it was not for her to go against his wishes. He had every right to deny her the way he did and she should have acquiesced to his demands. He laughed silently to himself at that thought; his mate would never fully bend to his will and that was one of the things he loved about her most._

_When the sun began to dip low in the sky, he decided that it was time they stopped and rested for the evening. Chiyoko said nothing when he removed their sleeping mats from Ah-Un's saddle and laid them on the ground. She carefully lowered her swollen body down and tried to find the most comfortable spot._

"_Are you hungry?" Sesshoumaru questioned._

"_No" was the only answer she gave him before she rolled over with her back facing him._

"_How long are we going to play this game Chiyoko?" he asked her roughly._

"_Until you learn the proper way to apologize so I suppose we will play until the day of our deaths for you do not apologize for anything. If you do not mind, I am tired and wish to rest. Goodnight Sesshoumaru."_

_He did not even attempt to control the angry growl that exploded from him. Before he knew what he was doing he was by her side, rolling her roughly onto her back and claiming her lips in a brutal, unforgiving kiss. He would show her he was sorry if it was the last thing he ever did. It didn't take long for the two Inu's to lose themselves in the feelings and emotions that raged between them…along with their clothing. When they were both sated and relaxing, Sesshoumaru smirked in triumph. Apology accepted._

_~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~_

_The second day of their journey dawned cold and damp. They packed their camp quickly in the hopes of reaching their destination by nightfall. Unlike the previous day, the mood was considerably lighter. While they were not as talkative as they normally were they both knew that they had forgiven each other for their respective parts in the argument and they could finally move on. Their pace was slower than before due to the thick forest they encountered but it did not deter them. Sesshoumaru guessed that they were half way through it at mid-morning and frowned. They were going _too_ slowly. He was about to turn and request she ride upon Ah-Un for the rest of the journey in the hopes that they would move quicker when a quiet, yet pained groan sounded from behind him. He quickly spun and saw his mate standing still with her eyes clenched tightly and her hands resting on her belly._

"_What is it?" he questioned when he came to her side._

"_Nothing…just…nothing" she breathed out heavily._

"_Chiyoko…."_

"_I'm _fine_. Let's keep moving" she said while walking past him. When she was no more than 5 steps ahead of him she stopped and held her stomach again._

"_You are in pain" he said with an air of calmness that he didn't feel._

"_I-It'll pass. I think that he is just active today" she replied through clenched teeth._

"_Do you wish to stop and rest for a moment?" he asked her carefully._

"_No I…"she whimpered painfully and he saw her legs begin to wobble. Immediately his arms were around her shoulders to hold her up. He felt her heart begin to race and the panic soar through her aura. Something was definitely wrong._

"_Sesshoumaru…I…I need to…sit down for a minute."_

_He guided her carefully to sit on a fallen log and watched while she took slow, deep and even breaths. He knelt down in front of her and watched the pain flash across her face again. He knew that look and his own face paled. His mate was in the early stages of labor and they were miles away from help. _

"_We need to return home at once" he told her calmly._

"_I don't…I can't…" she cried._

"_I will orb us there you just need to hold on a little longer."_

_He moved to gather her in his arms and she screamed, clenching her stomach and sliding off the log to the forest floor. Instantly the smell of birth fluids reached his nose and for the first time he felt himself panic; they were out of time. Their son was going to make his entrance into the world in grand fashion and apparently he had no intention to wait._

"_Oh no…no, no…please no…" Chiyoko cried when she felt her water break. It was too soon. Her last labor had been more than a day and her water broke a mere 2 hours before their first son was born._

"_Be calm, my mate" he said softly._

"_He's early Sesshoumaru…I can't…not here in the middle of the forest" she pleaded with him._

"_We may not have a choice."_

_The sudden realization that his son was coming NOW hit him hard; he had no idea how to deliver a pup into the world. He was not a midwife or a woman for Kami's sake! Yes he had been present for the end of her first labor but he had done nothing more than hold her and encourage her. For the first time in a very, VERY long time, the Lord of the West had no idea what to do._

_~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~_

"_If you tell me to push one more time I swear that I will tear your head off! I will push when I am damn well ready to!" his mate screamed at him between contractions. _

_In the span of one half an hour since the first signs of labor began, her pains had grown considerably closer and more powerful. Sesshoumaru had rolled out all of the bedding and quickly went to work starting a fire and getting some warm water boiling. He eased her back onto the soft bedding and was currently attempting to sooth her. He was failing quite substantially._

"_If you would prefer to deliver our son on your own, this Sesshoumaru will not stop you" he snapped back._

_Chiyoko growled low and dangerous at him but it didn't last long as another contraction had her screaming in agony. _

_Sesshoumaru glanced around nervously. Thankfully, they had not attracted the attention of any other youkai or wild animal and he prayed that it would be over before that happened. Ah-Un was standing guard and on full alert but Sesshoumaru knew that if it came down to it, he would have to defend them himself._

_Chiyoko's hand gripped his like a vice and he focused his attention back to her. She was exhausted, sweaty but he found that she had never looked more beautiful. _

"_You are almost there. It will be over soon" he told her._

"_It better be over soon!"_

_Sesshoumaru shook his head slightly and dared to glance between her legs. Where he expected to see a head poking through, he was surprised to find…a foot._

"_Chiyoko…is our pup not supposed to come out head first?" he questioned carefully._

"_What? Yes his head is supposed to be first…what are you….oh Kami…his feet are coming out aren't they?"_

"_Hn"_

"_You're…Sesshoumaru you're going to have to turn him" she panted._

"_Excuse me?"_

"_I said: You. Are. Going. To. Have. To. Turn. Him!"_

_She was delusional! It was the stress brought on by the labor, he was certain of that. There was no way that he was going to do what she was demanding!_

"_You will have to find another solution" he replied without thinking._

"_There is no other solution you insufferable, arrogant dog! Move your hands and turn your son now!" _

_Sesshoumaru blinked several times while remaining completely still. It wasn't until the most violent scream of pain from his mate was heard that he was able to clear his mind. As gently as possible, he bent down and attempted to do as she asked. Her cries of agony were doing nothing to ease his mind and he knew that it was hurting her. He looked up into her tear stained face and his heart melted. His resolve was set and he gazed at her with a look of confidence._

"_Now…push and do not stop until I tell you" he commanded._

_Chiyoko nodded and gripped the bedding underneath her tightly. She drew in a deep breath, counted to three in her mind and pushed with everything she had. _

_Sesshoumaru watched in awe as the tiny pup slid from his mother and into his waiting arms. He immediately set out to remove the cord that had wrapped around the boys neck and wrapped him in the clean blanket he had set aside._

"_You…clean his…mouth…"her heard his exhausted mate say and he understood what she wanted. Carefully he removed any remaining fluids from the pups mouth and nose and waited nervously for him to stir. _

_Vibrant, violet eyes opened and both mother and father were relieved when the boy drew in his first breath and screamed. Sesshoumaru delivered his new pup to the waiting arms of his mother and moved to lie next to them. He felt his mate's head come to rest against his chest and he wrapped his arms protectively around them both._

_Chiyoko looked up into his face and smiled._

"_You get to have the next one."_

_~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~_

Kagome blinked several times before a wide smile came across her face. She could imagine Sesshoumaru doing a lot of things but delivering his own child, in the middle of the forest was not one of them.

"We returned to our home when I was certain it was safe enough for them to travel. I received the most vicious reprimand from the midwife when we returned." Sesshoumaru said.

"How did it make you feel, to deliver your own son into the world?" Kagome questioned.

"It was, humbling. The life that I helped create I also helped to join the world. It was an experience that I have never forgotten."

"I wish I could have been there to see it" Kagome said sadly.

"You would not be saying that if you were there. The world was in chaos and evil lurked behind the shadows. Death would have come to you just as it…just as it came to them" he finished in a tone so low she almost missed it.

The two were quiet for many long moments before Sesshoumaru sighed and turned away. He stood up slowly, turned and extended his hands out for her to grab.

"Come, we must prepare our evening meal. It would not do well to upset my lady for she does not tolerate tardiness."

Kagome's eye's veiled with sadness. The moment of clarity that had found its way into his mind was gone and she had no idea how long it would be before another took its place.


	17. The Bond Between Brothers and Sisters

A/N Sorry for the long delay again but I was still battling being sick and getting ready to move in 4 days. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed and I hope this chapter meets your expectations. As always happy reading and please don't forget to drop me a review because they really do make my day!

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

The Bond Between Brothers and Sisters.

The lightning flashed dangerously across the sky and was immediately followed by a deafening crack of thunder. The driving wind and rain were wreaking havoc across Tokyo and everywhere people were scrambling to get inside. Power had been cut to more than half the city and the hopes of restoration by morning were slim. It was going to be a long night.

Tucked away in a quiet room on the 5th floor of the Tokyo Asylum, two individuals lay sprawled out on the floor staring at the dark ceiling. The power had been out for nearly two hours leaving only emergency lights running. Not wanting to waste an opportunity, Kagome had offered to stay for a while in the hopes of getting Sesshoumaru to open up some more. The talked a little about his experiences in the past and the things that he had seen and done before his world fell apart. He wasn't completely coherent but she was able to piece together a lot of what he was saying. It seemed that his life wasn't as full of war and destruction as she originally thought. Much of his time was spent at home watching over his lands and his family. The pride in his voice when he talked about his mate and children was so strong that Kagome couldn't help but smile. It was obvious that he was happy to be a father and she knew that despite the cold and closed off attitude she knew him for in the past, he loved his family very much.

Kagome sighed quietly and shifted uncomfortably on the floor. Why they were lying on the floor, she had no idea but she did know one thing; her ass was starting to hurt.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Hmm?"

"What are we doing?"

"We are observing the stars woman" he replied coldly.

"But…we're inside and there's a huge storm going on outside. Even if we wanted to we wouldn't see the stars tonight."

"Perhaps you can't see them but they are always there. The stars tell a story, miko it is up to us to understand it."

Kagome blinked; he called her miko. He only did that in the rare instance when he achieved almost perfect clarity. She scanned the room quickly and was happy to find that Onishi was still away attempting to find out when the power would be restored and the guards were standing outside the room where they were supposed to be. They were completely alone for the first time in ages.

"Sesshoumaru" she said while turning to face him "do you remember who I am now?"

He was silent for a few moments but she could tell that he was thinking by the crease in his brow.

"Your face is…familiar. I know that we were not…friends but I do not think that we were enemies" he replied slowly.

"No, we weren't friends but in the end I think it can be said that together we reached our common goal"

At his puzzled look she gave him a soft smile.

"We came together to defeat Naraku. Your help was instrumental in his ultimate destruction"

"You…disappeared when it was over. The half-breed returned three days later but you were not there."

"Yes. I was returned to where I belonged; to where I was needed."

"He…he was always watching the horizon. He believed that you would return to him one day."

"I wanted to, Kami knows that I tried for so long to get back but I couldn't. I think I was meant to stay here in this time for a reason and I think that you are that reason" she told him carefully.

"But you did return…only you were not the same"

"What do you mean I returned? Sesshoumaru I never went back, I promise you that"

"You were there only you had changed. You were not the pure light that you are now. Your soul was dark and if I had seen it sooner I would have killed you instantly."

"Sesshoumaru, I don't understand"

He turned to face her with eyes that were hard and cold.

"You, miko, were the servant who betrayed me and took from me everything that I held dear."

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

_Inuyasha stood stone still at the base of the steps leading up to the family wing in his brother's home. He rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times before shaking his head furiously. It was impossible! He checked the well several times a week and there was no way he could have missed her return. Even if he did miss it, there was no reason that she would be here…in his brother's home of all places. It had to be a mistake but…her face, her hair…everything was the same. He took off up the stairs to follow her and did not stop until he was behind her. Her scent was completely different than he remembered but it had been almost 60 years since he had last seen her._

"_Kagome?" he called softly._

_When the woman didn't turn he put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around quickly. Instantly he_ _regretted his actions when her_ clawed_ hand swept across his face._

"_Oh! Lord Inuyasha! I'm sorry I didn't know it was you! You startled me!" the panicked woman cried before she threw herself down upon the floor and bowed her head low._

_He was wrong. This wasn't _his_ Kagome but the resemblance was uncanny. He thought for a brief moment that she was another reincarnation but quickly threw that idea out the window. Kagome was the future reincarnation of someone who passed on here, she wouldn't have been sent back into the past to live again. She would be sent forward to yet another time. This woman was a demon but he couldn't quite pin down what she was. It didn't really matter, he was merely curious._

"_Keh, don't worry about it wench and get up off the floor. I don't take much fancy to all of this 'Lord' business despite what the reigning Lord Asshole wants. It's just Inuyasha or nothin' else" he replied while he helped her up._

"_Thank you my-Inuyasha"_

"_I'm sorry that I startled you. You just look like…someone I used to know is all. I haven't seen you around here before are you new to the service of my degenerate brother?"_

"_I have been here for nearly 20 years"_

_20 years? Damn has it been that long since I last visited he thought with a shrug._

"_I guess I need to visit more" he laughed._

_The woman smiled and gave a quick nod._

"_I must be getting back to my duties. There is a lot to prepare for before tonight's banquet. It was a pleasure to meet you Inuyasha" she said with a polite bow._

"_Yeah, again sorry for scarin' ya…sorry I didn't get your name?"_

"_Oh, forgive me. My name is Kurami"_

"_It was nice to meet you too, Kurami"_

_With that, the woman turned and headed off to her destination. Inuyasha's gaze lingered on her a few more minutes before the voice of his brother interrupted him._

"_If you are finished accosting those who serve me, Inuyasha we have much to do before tonight and you are, as expected, very late." Sesshoumaru said as he strolled into view._

"_Whatever bastard. I was just making conversation. I thought she was…I thought it was…_her."

_Sesshoumaru gave him a questioning look before shaking his head slightly. It had been so long now that he almost had forgotten about the miko who travelled with his half-brother. He really hadn't paid much attention to her back then but knew the hanyou missed her terribly. Something told him that his brother would always be waiting for her._

"_Come. My mate wishes to see you before the banquet tonight" he said before he turned and headed off to his chambers._

_With one last lingering stare down the hallway, Inuyasha turned and followed his brother while hoping to push the sadness and melancholy away._

_~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~_

"_Oi! Why is it every time I come to visit you're having another pup?" Inuyasha chastised with a laugh. He turned his amused eyes to his brother and laughed again._

"_You really gotta learn how to keep it in your pants you know. I know your mate is a beautiful woman and all but you two are going to have an army in here soon if you keep it up" he scolded._

_Sesshoumaru growled low and dangerous but Chiyoko simply laughed and shrugged her shoulders._

"_At least this one is a female. We certainly don't need another copy of you running around"_

"_Inuyasha…"Sesshoumaru began but the gentle touch of his mates' hand upon his arm instantly cooled his anger._

"_Enough, both of you. There will be plenty of time for insults later. Right now I need you both to stop posturing and get dressed" Chiyoko's tone left no room for disagreement and both males knew it._

"_Fine. I don't know why you both agreed to this anyways" Inuyasha grumbled._

"_The Summer Gathering is tradition, Inuyasha. The Western Lands have not hosted the event in many years. You would do well to remember your manners tonight for this Sesshoumaru will not tolerate you insulting any of the other Lords and Ladies attending tonight"_

"_Keh, whatever"_

"_Hn"_

_Chiyoko shook her head; this was going to be a very long evening indeed._

_~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~_

_The festivities were in full swing and both the Lord and Lady of the West looked on from their seats at the far end of the great room with pride. It was certainly a Summer Gathering that would be remembered for many years to come. There had been the typical scuffles between a few of the presiding Lords and families but for the most part, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves._

_Chiyoko sighed and rubbed her hand lightly over her slightly swollen stomach. She was tired more with this pup than she had been with the last two but she attributed that to the fact that her first daughter was more active than either of her brothers had been. She wasn't exactly ready for another member of their household, Rikuto was barely 10 years old but she welcomed the thought of a daughter this time. Being the only daughter in a house with many older brothers had been very stressful for her. Oh, she loved each and every one of them but they were at times a little too protective of her. She hoped that this was only the first of many daughters but ones that would not come for many, many more years down the road._

"_Such a beautiful face shouldn't look so lost and confused" came a soft, male voice._

_Chiyoko looked up and her eyes glistened with tears._

"_Osamu!" she cried before she launched herself out of her chair and into the waiting arms of her older, favorite brother. She wouldn't admit that fact to anyone other than herself though._

_The young male caught his baby sister easily and held her close. He had not seen her since the night of her first born sons' naming ceremony. It wasn't that he wanted to be away he just didn't have a choice. The hostilities in his family lands were reaching unbearable levels and all of his brothers, his father and even his mother had taken up the daunting task of defending them._

"_Where have you been? I have not heard from you in too many years to count" Chiyoko said while he set her back on the ground._

"_Forgive me sister but things at home do not go well and we have all being doing what we could to keep the peace"_

_Her eyes clouded with sadness; she knew what was going on in the North and even though Sesshoumaru sent many of his personal soldiers to assist in the fight they North was grossly outnumbered._

"_I have missed you…so very much" she whispered._

_Osamu wiped the tears from his sister's cheek and smiled at her. His sister was beautiful and tears had no place on her face._

"_I am sorry. I was not sure I would be able to make it tonight but father insisted that one member of our family attend and I volunteered right away"_

"_How long can you stay?"_

"_Not long, perhaps a day or two."_

_Her smile faltered but he lifted her chin and forced her to look at him._

"_When the conflict is over and peace is restored I will spend all the time in the world with you"_

_Her smile returned and she led him to the seat next to her own. Perhaps the night wasn't going to be so bad after all._

_~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~_

_Sesshoumaru felt the happiness that his mate had been lacking return and knew that he had made a good decision. It hadn't been easy to get the male here without her finding out but the results were worth it. He knew the troubles in the North were reaching dangerous levels and soon enough he would have to make an appearance himself. He'd been avoiding going off to war since his second son was born. He wanted to spend as much time as he could with his sons so that they would know he cared for them. Now, with a daughter on the way, the idea of leaving left him sour. He would send Osamu back with another battalion of his finest warriors and he would pray that it was enough._

_He scanned the room and was happy to see that things were still well under control and that those attending were enjoying themselves. One thought popped into his mind though and he found himself pausing for just a moment. Inuyasha had been strangely…quiet and…absent since the main dinner had finished. Wonderful. He had a pretty good idea where the hanyou skipped off to and he set off in that direction immediately._

_Predictably, he found the boy wrapped around the female servant he was accosting earlier in one of the rooms off the main banquet hall. Judging by the scent in the air, they had been at it a while. He shook his head and flared his aura causing a startled scream from the woman and a string of muttered curses from the hanyou. Sesshoumaru smirked and strolled into the room not caring what state of undress either of them was in._

"_Oi, what the hell, Sesshoumaru?"_

"_And you had the audacity to lecture me about, how did you put it 'keeping it in my pants' earlier this evening. Really half-breed could you not wait until the evening was over?"_

_Inuyasha fumed but said nothing. He really had no idea what came over him. He was actually having a good time at the Summer Gathering but when he spotted the mysterious demoness he met earlier he instantly found himself wanting her. Why, he had no idea. He thought at first that it was because she looked so much like Kagome but the more he observed her, the more he realized the two women were so different in so many ways. Kagome was always had an air of purity and light surrounding her but his woman…there was something more dark and dangerous about her and he couldn't put his finger on it. He wanted to learn all of her secrets and she seemed just as eager to learn his._

"_Forgive me, Lord Sesshoumaru! I should not have neglected my duties" Kurami cried before she bowed low in submission._

"_Hn. Attend to my mate you can…play with the hanyou later" he replied before he strolled out of the room and returned to the party._

"_Huh, I guess it's true that he has grown soft. The Sesshoumaru that I know would have beaten the shit out of me and punished you" Inuyasha said while he pulled his trademark fire-rat robe back on._

"_There are those who whisper that he has grown _too_ soft. They say that his mate has changed him and not for the better. Yes it is true that he has evened his temper but with the numerous threats upon his land and his mate he should have acted already" Kurami replied sharply._

"_Hey, he might not be the biggest prick anymore but he's still Sesshoumaru in the end. He would die for his mate and his children and he wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice any one of us if it meant they could live"_

"_One could only hope that it will be enough in the end" _

_Something in her tone caused Inuyasha's ears to twitch but he ignored it for the time being._

"_Come on. Let's get back before he throws another fit" he said before he turned and led her out of the room._

_He didn't bother to look back and so he missed the dark, yet telling smirk that crossed the young woman's face. _

All in good time_ she thought before she too strolled out of the room to rejoin the party in progress._

_~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~_

"_Are you happy here Chiyoko and be honest with me? To those who do not know you as well you appear happy but there is deep sadness behind your eyes I can see it" Osamu asked while the two sat outside in the garden. The Summer Gathering had come to a close and the two siblings were grateful that Sesshoumaru allowed them some time together before Osamu left the following day._

"_I am very happy, Osamu please do not interpret my sadness as unhappiness" she replied coldly._

"_Then what is wrong my sister? You and I have always been close and you know that you can tell me anything"_

"_I know."_

"_Then tell me and ease my worries for your comfort"_

_Chiyoko sighed and lowered her head. _

"_I am…afraid, Osamu. The wind whispers and brings with it a foreboding sense of danger. The conflict in the North is only just the beginning for we all know who is behind it. It will soon spread like a plague and take over the world. _He_ will not stop until he gets what he feels is rightfully his. I fear for the life of my sons, my daughter and myself. Sesshoumaru is undoubtedly the most powerful demon in all of Japan and I would never question that but even he cannot be everywhere at one time. My fears grow every time he departs our home even for the simplest of matters. Ryuunosuke knows that he could never defeat Sesshoumaru if he were to engage him in open battle. He will resort to deception and secrecy to achieve his goal. I fear that when he does make his final move it will come when we are least expecting it"_

"_I do not doubt that your fears are justified but you must not allow it to consume you. You are protected here; more so than you can imagine. Your are correct when you state that your mate is the most powerful demon of all time and with that power comes a level of protection that you cannot begin to imagine. Sesshoumaru is well aware of the dangers surrounding you, the dangers that will always surround you. You are the daughter of nobles and the mate of the ruler of Japan, Chiyoko. You will always have hardships and those who will challenge you but you must learn to rise above it and not despair. Sesshoumaru would die a thousand deaths himself before he allowed you or your pups come to harm. He loves you, I know he does and while he will never say it out loud, _that_ is the greatest weapon he possesses."_

_Chiyoko stared at her brother in silence before chuckling to herself. He was right and while it did not dissolve her fears completely, it did bring her some comfort._

"_When did you become so wise?" she teased._

"_Around the time you started to walk but you have always been oblivious to my brilliance" he countered._

_Chiyoko laughed loud and long and it was a sound that hadn't been heard in the castle walls for many nights. She dropped her head on her brother's shoulder while he wrapped his arms carefully around her middle. Immediately his niece delivered a powerful kick and he couldn't help but smile._

"_I think she likes me" he chuckled._

"_Do not think that you are special, she does that at all hours of the day, afternoon and evening" she grumbled._

_Osamu laughed again and gave his sister a light squeeze._

"_We should get inside. It is late and I know that you are tired."_

"_I suppose you are correct. I have no doubt Sesshoumaru will come looking for me soon"_

_He helped her up and the two strolled casually into the castle. Once he led her up the stairs to the safety of her room he departed just as her servant was coming out._

"_My Lady everything is prepared for you and your evening tea has been set beside your bed. Lord Sesshoumaru is in his study and will join you shortly" she said._

"_Thank you, Kurami you are dismissed for the night."_

"_Thank you my Lady, good evening to you"_

"_Kurami, do tell Inuyasha that I expect him well rested and ready for an early morning" Chiyoko said with a smirk._

_The demoness flushed slightly and nodded her head before she took off quickly down the hall. The Western Lady smiled and entered her chambers. It was about time that Inuyasha enjoyed himself. _

_Once she was changed and settled into bed she drank her tea and settled down into her bed. She was asleep before Sesshoumaru managed to return._

_~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~_

_Blood! It assaulted his nose and jarred him from his peaceful slumber. Immediately he turned to his mate and found that her eyes were closed but her face was flushed and her entire body was covered in a thick layer of sweat. She was shaking as though she was cold but it was obvious that her body was on fire. _

_Sesshoumaru quickly removed the blankets from his mate and the source of the blood was quickly discovered. The dark stain upon the sheets beneath his mate instantly caused him to panic. Before he could even think of breathing, he scooped his mate up and headed for the room of their private healer. He noticed that his mate did not open her eyes nor did she seem to respond to his moving her. His worry increased tenfold and he felt like he couldn't reach the healers room fast enough. When he finally saw the room in question come into his sight he wasted no time in barging through the door and was relieved that the healer was still awake._

"_My Lord—"she began but one look at her Lady told her that now was not the time for questions._

"_Place her on the bed my Lord and then go fetch me a basin with cold water and some rags" she instructed._

"_I am not leaving!" he snarled._

"_Then find me an errand boy and summon more help!" she countered._

_Sesshoumaru glared at the woman but did as she instructed. Once his mate was placed on the bed he ran into the hallway and began bellowing orders to any and all servants who passed. It did not take long before the castle was teeming with activity. Servants ran through the halls carrying out the healers orders while all the members of the family waited outside the room for news._

"_She was fine when she went to bed. What could have happened?" Osamu questioned to no one in particular._

"_I don't know. She seemed alright when I last saw her" Inuyasha replied quietly._

_Both males looked at the two worried pups who were sitting on the floor. They boys were frightened and wanted to know what was happening with their mother but they were forbidden to enter the room on Sesshoumaru's orders. They had seen nothing of the Western Lord in hours and they could only hope that whatever was going on behind the barrier was not as bad as they were thinking._

_The minutes dragged into hours and still there was no word from anyone. Takehiko and Rikuto had been sent back to their rooms when they both fell asleep on the floor but Inuyasha promised that the minute he heard anything he would go and get them._

_Suddenly, the barrier surrounding the room lowered and both Inuyasha and Osamu were on their feet instantly. _

_Inuyasha had never before seen his brother look so…defeated. His hair was in shambles and his normally pristine clothing was stained in the blood of his mate. His eyes though…his eyes were lost and confused and if Inuyasha didn't know better he would swear that he had been crying._

_Sesshoumaru looked up at the two before him and prepared to give a report but his voice failed him. What could he say?_

"_Chiyoko?" Osamu whispered._

_Haunted, golden eyes lifted to the brother of his mate before he lowered his head._

"_I do not know. The healers…they are doing…she is…they are trying to save her and the pup but it…" he couldn't finish his sentence. He refused to even think about the fact that his mate and unborn pup would die._

"_What happened Sesshoumaru?"_

"_They do not know. She did nothing out of the ordinary before bed tonight to my knowledge. She strolled the gardens as she often does, retired to our chambers and was asleep before I arrived there. Her blood…it woke me from my slumber." _

_The proud Inuyoukai male slid to the floor and dropped his head into his hands. He would not cry, not in front of those who were beneath him but he could not ignore his weariness any longer. The sight of his mate in so much distress was agonizing and he had to step away. He trusted his healers; they would help then but…No he refused to entertain any other notion than the one where they were both fine._

"_Where are my sons?" he questioned once he lifted his head._

"_We sent them to bed. They were falling asleep on the floor as it was. They don't need to be here to see this right now anyway" Inuyasha replied._

_Sesshoumaru nodded and rose to his feet with the intention of checking on them when the barrier lowered again and the healer rushed out of the room._

"_What is it?" he questioned harshly._

"_My Lord, did your mate eat anything out of the ordinary tonight? Anything at all?" the old woman questioned._

"_No…she kept to her regular diet this evening and drank water with her meal and tea before bed."_

"_Your mate had tea before bed?"_

"_Yes, she always does on your instructions. What are you hinting at woman?" he snarled._

"_I…I'm not sure yet My Lord. Is the cup still in your room?"_

"_I believe it is"_

"_Lord Inuyasha please hurry and fetch it for me"_

_The hanyou dashed away before anyone could blink and returned before they could breathe. He handed the cup over to the woman who looked inside. She raised the cup to her nose and inhaled deeply. No one missed the way her eyes narrowed when she pulled it away. Without a word to anyone, she dashed back into the room and replaced the barrier._

"_What was that all about?" Osamu questioned._

"_I do not know" Sesshoumaru said with a sigh._

"_I guess the only thing we can do now is wait" Inuyasha said._

"_Then we will wait."_

_~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~_

_The first rays of sunlight were slowly starting to filter into the castle before the healer emerged again. Both Inuyasha and Osamu had fallen into a light slumber but Sesshoumaru remained as vigilant as ever. When the healer stepped out of the barrier and gazed at him with tear filled eyes his heart skipped a few beats and he felt as though it had stopped._

"_Your mate is alive my Lord and she is resting. She has lost a lot of blood but I am confident she will live"_

"_And what of my pup?" he asked slowly._

_The tears returned to the healers eyes and he knew._

"_I-I am sorry my Lord. I did everything that I could but the pup is dead."_

_Dead. His pup, his first born daughter was dead. It was not true! How dare this woman lie to him! Blind furry and inconsolable rage poured through his body before the gentle touch of his brother's hand on his shoulder stopped him from killing the woman in front of him._

"_Going into a feral fit right now won't help anything. Your mate and your son's need you Sesshoumaru don't lose control now. She needs you Sesshoumaru" Inuyasha pleaded with his brother._

_Inuyasha turned to Osamu who looked to be in almost the same state as Sesshoumaru._

"_Let's go get the boys. They should be with their mother"_

_Osamu nodded and together they walked down the long hallway. Sesshoumaru looked to the healer and pinned her with an angry glare._

"_What are you not telling me? Now that they are gone speak! My mate was healthy and there is no reason that she should have lost the pup!"_

"_Yes my Lord, there is a reason though I daresay it is more disturbing than you can fathom"_

"_Stop delaying and give me my answers woman!"he yelled._

"_My Lord your mate has been poisoned."_

_~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~_

"How is that possible, Sesshoumaru? She would have noticed a poison in her tea wouldn't she?" Kagome questioned slowly.

"It was a rare herb grown in the South that when blended with most liquids becomes tasteless, odorless and color less. The only reason the healer was able to discover it was because she found a few leaves of the herb left in the bottom of the cup. While the dosage was certainly not enough to kill a demon of my mate's stature, it was enough…to murder my daughter."

Kagome sat back and allowed her mind to process everything that she had just been told. She was beginning to think that Sesshoumaru and his mate were cursed but she knew that was not the case. Everything that happened to them was the result of the actions of one man and one man alone.

"What happened after that, Sesshoumaru? Did you find the one responsible?"

"A kitchen servant went missing that morning and they were never found. At first it was believed that he was a spy but that was not the case. The true villain behind the murder of my unborn pup did not reveal themselves until the very end. By then it was too late and the damage was done."

"I'm sorry Sesshoumaru."

"She would have been beautiful."

Kagome smiled "I have no doubt that she would have been had she been given the chance to live."

Sesshoumaru said nothing but turned to face Kagome again. There was an unspoken request dancing in his eyes and she granted that request with a nod.

Silently, Sesshoumaru moved closer and wrapped his arms around her while he buried his face into her hair. Kagome held him close and just let him seek the comfort he needed from her. No words needed to be spoken while she let him borrow her strength. She looked up as the power flickered once, twice before it finally kicked back on. The lights came alive but the room stayed quiet. Kagome looked down at the demon lord and found his features relaxed and at peace. He had fallen asleep. She smiled and ran her fingers lightly through his hair. She shifted slightly and moved herself into a more comfortable positing before she laid her head on the top of his. It didn't take long for the tiredness to catch up to her and she too joined him in sleep. They were not disturbed for the rest of the night.


	18. Dissension

A/N: And I'm finally all moved in and settled so thanks for your patience. Also a huge huge huge thank you to everyone who nominated and voted for this story in the first quarter awards. It means a lot that this story is still being enjoyed despite my long breaks between updates. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed and as always, reviews are always appreciated and make me smile :D

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

Dissension.

"Are you out of your mind?" Onishi yelled while trying to keep the anger from his voice.

Kagome returned his heated glare with one equally filled with anger. For once, this was something she wasn't going to give up on.

"No, I'm not out of my mind I'm completely serious! It's time!" she yelled back.

"Those drugs are the only thing stopping him from going off the deep end completely. Taking him off them now is suicide."

"The drugs are killing him! I would be much further along with him if they didn't keep him so disoriented all of the time. You said it yourself when I first started working with him that you keep his level so incredibly high that they are virtually maxed out. What kind of damage do you think that is doing to him?"

"No more damage than he has done to himself Higurashi!"

"Do you think this is what he wants? Do you think he wants to live with the guilt that he survived and his family is dead? He lost everything when they died, everything!"

"He is not the only person in this world to have lost someone they cared about Higurashi! There are millions of people losing loved ones every day yet they don't end up in places like this. They grieve and move on with their lives like they should. It doesn't make him special it just makes him weak!"

Kagome leveled her gaze down on the man she was rapidly losing respect for. She thought he was here to help people just like she was but it seemed that she was wrong. He was just like everyone else. All they wanted to do was shove a bunch of pills down the throats of their patients to keep them calm. They didn't want to actually _help_ them.

"Sesshoumaru may be many things but weak is not one of them. How would you feel if you came home one day and found your wife and children murdered? I daresay that you would take it exactly the same way that he is."

"I do not belittle his pain but the reality is that it is time for him to get over it and move on. He has been stuck in this never ending loop of self pity and doubt for far too long and my patience is at an end. "

"How can you say that? You can't just force a person to get better. You can't will them to suddenly fix whatever their problem is and get over it."

"This conversation is over Kagome. His medication regiment stays the same and that is final." Onishi said with a sigh.

"How can you be so uncaring? How can you be so cold to someone who has suffered long enough?"

"I think perhaps that you care a little too much Higurashi."

At her dubious expression he decided to elaborate. "Don't think for one moment that I haven't noticed the way you look at him and the way he looks at you. There has always been an air of familiarity between the two of you since the moment you were introduced. No more lies; no more deceit Kagome. Tell me who he is and how exactly you know him."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Just because he seems to know me doesn't mean that he actually does. He is crazy after all. I probably resemble someone he knows from his youth" Kagome replied with the straightest face possible. They had been down this road before and she knew that Onishi hadn't bought her story the first time she told it. She refused to betray the confidence that she knew Sesshoumaru had in her. He trusted her with his secrets and she was going to keep them until the day she died.

"We have had this conversation before Higurashi; I don't appreciate being lied to" he spat.

Kagome sighed; this was getting them nowhere. "I think we've gotten off topic. I have not lied to you despite your insistence that I have. The point I'm trying to make is that it is time for Sesshoumaru to come off the medication. If you want him to truly get over what he has gone through, keeping him in a drug induced haze isn't the answer. He needs to be who he was born to be and he's never going to be that way again if we keep him locked away."

"Who he was _born_ to be is not the person he is Kagome. That _being _is gone and there is nothing that you or I can do that will bring him back."

"You're wrong and I'm going to prove it to you."

Kagome turned and didn't bother to wait to be dismissed. She stormed from the office and headed down to her own. She couldn't believe that Onishi was so willing to give up just because she hadn't made much progress. But the truth of the matter was she had made a lot of progress with the stoic demon. Before she arrived he said nothing. Now they engaged in conversations daily and while most of them didn't make a whole lot of sense to anyone, including her, it was a start. Sesshoumaru hadn't given up in all the years since the death of his mate and children so who was she to give up now?

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

"You really know how to piss her off don't you?" the man said while stepping out of the side room. He heard the whole conversation and he had to admit, he agreed with everything Kagome said. It was true that they were running out of time but these things couldn't be rushed.

"If you don't have anything positive to contribute then leave. I am in no mood for bullshit today" Onishi snapped.

"You know, I'm starting to wonder why I even bother dealing with you anymore. I should have gone straight to Kagome like I planned—"

"Don't you even think about it! What do you think will happen when she learns the truth?"

The man shrugged "I don't know, maybe she'll be happy to see me."

Onishi scoffed "Don't be so sure of yourself; she probably wouldn't even believe it was you to begin with"

"Maybe if you gave me the chance to talk to her we would know."

"It's too risky. We have worked too long and hard to keep the balance the best we could. I honestly thought that the worst was over. Then _he_ was found and everything went to shit. I'm thankful that we know where he is and for the moment that he is safe but that doesn't change the fact that we are outnumbered. It won't take long before they figure out where he is too and they will come for him. If they can connect Kagome to him in any way other than being his doctor she will be in just as much danger as the rest of us" Onishi replied solemnly.

"After all this time, do you really think it will come to that? Does the hatred run so deep that it can't be forgotten so that all those involved can move on with their lives?"

"The hatred runs deeper than you know or could possibly understand. It will never be over not as long as there is one member of each side who still lives."

"How long are you going to keep Kagome in the dark about this? Her life could be in danger and she has a right to know" the man asked.

"For as long as possible. If she remains oblivious to the truth the less likely it is that she will go seeking danger. You told me once that her heart was too honest and pure for her own good. She would willingly put her life at risk if it meant she could help someone else. That is something I am not willing to accept. He doesn't realize it but Sesshoumaru needs her. She really might be the only hope we have at getting him back."

"Kagome will only be ignorant of the truth for so long. When she finds out it's not going to be pretty. For now, maybe you should focus less on what might happen and more on helping her. Despite what she thinks she can't do it all alone."

"I know. That's probably the reason why I haven't fired her yet."

The young man nodded but said nothing further. He didn't agree with the decision to keep Kagome in the dark that much was painfully obvious. She had a right to know, even if she didn't know everything. She was an intelligent woman and even with pieces of the whole story she would be able to figure out the rest. Danger was closing in around them all and it was only a matter of time before it broke through and hell was unleashed upon the earth once again.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome was still fuming when she stepped off the elevator and onto the 5th floor. She really couldn't understand what caused Onishi-sensei's change. When she first started working he told her that patience was the biggest part of dealing with the mentally disturbed. Where had his legendary patience gone? She knew that Sesshoumaru wasn't his only patient but he was the one that he was working the hardest with. Why was he so willing to give up now?

She sighed and decided she would think on it later. She reached Sesshoumaru's door and without so much as a nod to the guard standing by she opened the door and stepped inside. The moment the door behind her closed the rooms only resident…pounced.

Kagome felt the wind knocked from her lungs as she tumbled to the floor. The heavy weight of Sesshoumaru's body on hers made breathing difficult but she turned to gaze up at her _attacker_ none the less.

Sesshoumaru had the most curious expression on his face that she had ever seen. It was almost as though…he were laughing at her. She peered at him curiously before rolling her eyes at him.

"You can get up anytime now" she snapped.

Sesshoumaru's eyes took on a look of fear and sadness and he quickly retreated to the corner. Kagome watched him back away and knew instantly that she shouldn't have been so harsh with him. He was in his own way, playing with her and she had practically slapped him in his face with her words.

"Sesshoumaru…it's okay" she said softly.

"You are…angry…"he whispered.

"Yes…but I'm not angry with you. I'm sorry that I snapped at you."

"You really aren't angry with me?" he sniffed as though he was on the verge of tears.

"No Sesshoumaru I promise I'm not mad at you" she replied with a smile.

He nodded and moved over so she could sit next to him. As soon as she was comfortable, Sesshoumaru leaned over casually and laid his head on her shoulder and sighed loudly.

"What's wrong?" she questioned.

"Many things" he replied quietly.

"Talk to me Sesshoumaru, tell me what you're feeling"

"I-I do not belong here. This world is not mine. Everything that was, everything that I knew is gone. The sounds, the smells they are all painful. I-I should have died when _they_ died. You should have let me go"

"I couldn't do that, Sesshoumaru and you know it. There is a reason why you survived I know there is."

"I should have done the right thing and taken my life that day. I…I was a coward. I believed it would dishonor them because _I_ failed them. I promised to protect them and I failed. Why should I spend eternity in death with them when I promised them that we would stay together in life? I did not deserve their love."

"Everyone deserves to be loved Sesshoumaru and you should never think that you aren't entitled to that comfort."

"Love is not a _right_, Miko it is a gift. You of all people should know the difference."

Kagome turned her head to stare at him. She didn't know exactly what he was trying to say but she had a pretty good idea.

"What does that mean Sesshoumaru?" she asked carefully.

"You yearned for the love of another whose heart belonged with someone who wasn't you. It was only when the dead one was gone that the half-breed took notice of you and by then it was too late."

"Inuyasha did love me Sesshoumaru. It just took him time to realize it"

"He did indeed love you but not for the reasons you believe. In his eyes you would always be _her_ and it was that love that he held on to. When you left, he mourned but moved on again when you were returned. He was blinded by the love of his past and failed to see the truth."

Kagome sat in silence and digested Sesshoumaru's words. It hurt. She always knew that being with Inuyasha would be living in Kikyou's shadow but she truly believed that he had moved passed his obsession with the dead miko when she was finally laid to rest. He had seemed devoted to her in every sense and he gave her no reason to doubt his affection.

Now…

It was hard to trust what Sesshoumaru was saying but at the same time she knew that despite the fact that he was crazy, he wouldn't lie to her. Now was not the time to think on this. She was here to help Sesshoumaru, not discuss her failure in relationships.

"Where did you go…when they… died, where did you disappear to?"

"Away" was all he said.

"But to where?"

"Now is not the time for those answers. We must focus on getting you ready for the evening. We are having a party to celebrate the birth of my Lady and you must look proper" he told her before he stood and pulled her to her feet.

She knew enough at this point that their moment was lost and she only had to wait for the next one to arrive.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome sat beneath the boughs of the ancient tree where she first met Inuyasha long after the sun had gone down. The lights were on in the house but she just didn't feel like going in just yet. After Sesshoumaru spent an hour and a half making her _presentable_ and educating her on how to act in the presence of the nobility, he grew tired and fell asleep without another word. She left the room quietly and spent the remained of her day in her office filling out some information in his file. His moments of lucidity were coming more often now and she knew that if she kept working with him he would recover. He would never truly be the same but he wouldn't be sitting there alone in that room with no direction. That thought sparked another debate in her mind; where would he go and what would he do once he was better? It wasn't like he could just apply for a job or go back to school. He had no identity; no existence in the modern world. With technology advancing the way it was, it was almost impossible for someone without identification to survive. Sesshoumaru had no birth certificate so there would be no way for him to get identification therefore he wouldn't be able to…

Kagome groaned. She would figure out the situation of what he was going to do after he got better. Right now she wanted to focus on herself for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she sat back and examined her life up until that point. At 26, she was on her way to being an accomplished psychologist, she had a modest, yet practical place of her own to live, she purchased her first and only car entirely by herself and yet Higurashi Kagome was…lonely. She had a wonderful family who loved her dearly but beyond that, there wasn't much. Most of her friends had moved on and were now living in other parts of Japan. They all had settled down and were starting families while she remained the same. Hell, even Hojo finally gave up on her and the last she heard of him was that he was happily married with 4 children already. Had Kagome been allowed to stay in the past things would have turned out very differently.

And that in itself was the salt on the wound…

Things wouldn't be different for she would still be alone. Sango and Miroku would have had their family leaving little room for her in the picture. Kaede was elderly and she knew that the old priestess would leave her too. Shippou would have grown and sought out a family of his own one day and even though it seemed that Rin remained in the village, she too found someone to love and cherish. The only person that would have remained in her life would have been Inuyasha and she wasn't entirely sure he would have stayed in the end.

When Sesshoumaru told her that Inuyasha saw her as a replacement for what he had once lost she wanted so desperately to not believe him. Deep within her heart, she knew it was true. While he may have loved her in his own special way she would always serve as a reminder to what he lost. When he gave up hope of her ever returning he moved on again. She knew little of the woman that Sesshoumaru mentioned only that she resembled herself and was somehow responsible for the death of his family. That didn't really say much but she must have been an accomplished actress to gain that much favor with the stoic demon lord and his mate. Even though the evidence clearly pointed to Sesshoumaru softening over the years, he would never willingly place his family in danger. For Inuyasha to be with her…

Shaking her head, Kagome looked up at the stars and smiled.

"I hope that you've found the peace that you were always looking for" she said to no one but the intended recipient was clear.

The rustle of leaves to her left drew her attention to a figure standing not far from where she was sitting. It was dark so she couldn't see his features and she wondered instantly why someone would be at the shrine this late in the evening. It was not uncommon for the shrine to get a few late night worshipers but it was rare. Kagome stood and turned to face the man before bowing politely.

"Welcome, is there something I might be able to help you with this evening?" she asked.

"No, but there is perhaps something that I can do for you" the man replied.

Kagome took a step forward but the mysterious man immediately held up his hand to stop her.

"Please stay there and just listen I don't have a lot of time."

Kagome was now getting nervous. Why didn't this man want her to see him and what could be so important that he had to come to her now of all times?

"What do you want?"

"To give you a warning. Things are not always as they seem and you must be on your guard. _They_ will come for him and when they do you must be prepared. You cannot allow that to happen under any circumstances do you understand me?"

"Who is coming for whom? I don't—"

"Do you understand? His life is yours to protect now just as much as yours is his. You need to keep doing what you are doing and you must reach him. He is close now, so close to becoming who he once was but we're running out of time."

"Who the hell are you?" she screamed drawing an answering shout from inside the house.

"Who I am doesn't matter right now what matters is that you stay focused on what it is you have to do. I have to go; I should even be here right now but remember what I've told you. If they find out that you are connected to him your life will be in just as much danger as his, Kagome"

The back door to the house flew open and slammed against the side of the house drawing Kagome's gaze for a fraction of a second. She saw her mother racing across the ground in her direction and turned back to the man only to find out that he was gone. Worry and fear seeped into her heart while she tried to figure out the cryptic message she had received.

"Kagome? What on Earth are you doing here so late and who were you shouting at?" her mother asked breathlessly when she reached her side.

"I-it was a stray dog mom, nothing else. I'm sorry if I startled you"

Her mother peered at her daughter closely and knew instantly that something was wrong. She wouldn't push though. If Kagome wanted to share, she would.

"Well, since you're here, you might as well come inside and have some tea."

Nodding, Kagome took one last look at where the man and been standing before heading into the house behind her mother.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome entered Sesshoumaru's room slowly not wanting to disturb him if he was sleeping. It was very late in the evening, or rather it was very early in the morning and she had been unable to sleep. She had spent some time with her mother catching up before she decided to head home. She was not a paranoid person by nature but for the first time in her life, she felt uneasy about being alone. The stranger's warning left a sour taste in the back of her throat and no matter what she did to chase her fears away they remained. When she realized that sleep wasn't happening she went to the only place that felt safe to her at the moment.

"You are worried" Sesshoumaru's quiet voice called out startling her slightly.

He was awake, and sitting up on his bed with his arms folded neatly in his lap. If she didn't know better, it almost looked like he was waiting for her.

"I-no I just couldn't sleep" she replied before taking the spot next to him.

"You are a poor liar little one" he chuckled.

She huffed and shook her head.

"Alright, maybe I am worried but it's not important"

"It is important enough to keep you awake and bring you here when you are normally gone"

"I just…I worry about you and your future. Things are so different from what you know and I just don't want to see you get lost in all of that"

"I am already _lost_ woman" he replied bitterly.

"You aren't right now."

"No, not now but it is only a matter of time."

"Do you…want to get better, Sesshoumaru? Do you wish to someday be who you were again?"

"We can never be who we were only who we become. Do I wish to leave this place? Yes, but do I wish to forget the things that drove me here? No."

"I'm not trying to make you forget I hope you understand that. I'm only trying to piece together all of the information so it paints a clear picture"

"The clearest pictures do not always tell the correct story. You must sift through the false lines and colors before you can truly understand."

"I'm trying. I really am but it's difficult" she told him sadly.

"Life is full of difficulties but they serve their purpose"

"You're awfully insightful for a crazy person, you know?" she teased.

"Indeed" he replied with a smirk.

"I wish all of our conversations could be like this. Actually, I'm starting to think this is all a dream."

"Hn. Dream or not I hope you have learned something from it."

She nodded and turned her head to face him. He was staring at her with a curious expression on his face but there was something different in his eyes. They were…softer than normal and she wondered what he was thinking in that moment.

He answered her silent query by reaching out and brushing a few strands of hair behind her ear. Her hand came to rest over his and allowed a tiny bit of her power to seep out in comfort while they continued to search the depths of each other's souls. In those moments Kagome came to understand two things; Sesshoumaru was just as lonely as she was. And yet, she realized that in reality neither one of them had a reason to truly be lonely for they had each other. Yes, Sesshoumaru was crazy but he was getting better. The second thing she realized was that despite how much he needed her, she needed him just as much. They were connected by a past that no one could understand or begin to appreciate. While they hadn't always been on the best of terms they still lived it together.

"Do you see now?" he asked her softly.

"Yes"

Slowly, Sesshoumaru leaned forward only to be stopped when he was mere inches away from her face.

"I'm not _her_, Sesshoumaru" she said firmly.

"No you are not but the darkness cannot live without the light and not all light disappears simply because one piece of it is extinguished."

With that, he continued his journey and pressed his lips gently to hers. It was not a kiss of passion or love but it was a kiss of beginnings. Tomorrow the sun would rise on a new day and for the first time in longer than either one of them could count; a light began to shine through the darkness that had invaded both of their hearts.


	19. A Lesson Learned

A/N: Peaks out from behind the wall, I KNOW this is really late but l had major writers block and work has been super busy. I just got a promotion so unfortunatly my updates might be even slower but I will do my best to get them back on track. Once again, I thank each and everyone one of you for your wonderful reviews and continued support. Thank you to those who nominated this story for the 2nd Quarter awards, I am truly humbled! This chapter is long, sorry but once I started I couldn't stop. There is some citrus content near the end but not a full lemon. No, it's not between our favorite pair but I needed to write something. Those lemons will come later, I promise! As always reviews are always appreciated!

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the character associated

A Lesson Learned…

"Hold him down!" Onishi yelled to the guards. He stole a quick look at the unconscious figure huddled on the ground before he turned his attention back to the extremely distressed and pissed off man before him. He had no idea what set Sesshoumaru off but he had a pretty good idea. _She_ had gone against his orders again. A vicious snarl cut through the room and he knew that he needed to get Sesshoumaru calmed down before he hurt someone else. Plunging the syringe filled with sedative deep into the male's neck, Onishi stepped back and waited for it to take effect.

He watched closely when Sesshoumaru's eyes lost focus and he slumped to the floor. He wasn't unconscious but he was calmer for the moment. He nodded to the guards and turned to look at Kagome. He could see clearly where Sesshoumaru's blow landed across her face and the scratch marks across her arms and neck. _He must have thrown her into the wall_ he thought before he called for a medical team over his radio. He moved to kneel next to her but a deep growl sounded through the room.

"Do not touch her!" Sesshoumaru snarled. He tried to stand then but the sedative kept him down on the floor.

"Sesshoumaru, I promise I'm not going to hurt her but she needs help" Onishi said while trying to hide his surprise. In the 2 ½ years that he had been working with him, Sesshoumaru had never uttered a single word to him. He was amazed that after all this time, the first thing he says is to keep away from Kagome.

"Do. Not. Touch. Her." Sesshoumaru spat again.

"Sesshoumaru please. Look at her. She is hurt and needs to be looked at by the medical staff. I swear on my life that no harm will come to her."

Onishi bent down to check her pulse but the minute his fingers came in contact with her skin Sesshoumaru made his move. In a flash, Onishi was thrown back and when he looked up, Kagome was cradled protectively in Sesshoumaru's arms. He retreated quickly to the corner and pulled her into his lap while never taking his eyes off Onishi.

"She is _mine_! No one touches what belongs to me!"

_Interesting_ Onishi thought to himself.

"I am afraid that she doesn't belong to you Sesshoumaru. Kagome is her own person and belongs to herself. If you do truly…care for her like you are acting, then you will let someone look at her injuries. You are, after all, the one who did this to her in the first place"

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened and he stared down at the woman in his arms. It was impossible! He didn't hurt her; he couldn't hurt her!

"You lie!"

"No, Sesshoumaru I am not lying. You were the one who hurt her and now you are hurting her more by not allowing us to help her."

A pitiful whine escaped his throat before lifted his eyes from the woman he held to the man who often accompanied her when she visited him. He didn't know why but the woman was special to him. To think that he could have been the one to hurt her was eating a hole in his heart. He didn't want to hurt her; he had already hurt so many that were close to him.

"Sesshoumaru?" Onishi called softly.

"Hm?"

"The medical staff is here. If you would allow it, they would like to look at Kagome. You can keep holding her if you wish if that will make you feel more reassured that they won't hurt her."

With a quick glance at the group of people who were gathered in the room, Sesshoumaru nodded and lowered his head. The medics moved slowly so they wouldn't startle the distressed male. As soon as they were close they began their assessment of the woman who hadn't moved an inch on her own in more minutes than anyone wanted to think about.

Through it all, Kagome remained asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

_Her eyes slid open slowly and she tried to ignore the throbbing pain in her head. Kagome blinked several times before she was finally able to wake up completely. A quick scan of the room she was in told her several things. One; she was comfortable lying atop the silk sheets of the bed she was in. Two; this wasn't her room at all. Three; she had been in this room before during her not so innocent dream about Sesshoumaru a few weeks ago._

"_Damnit, not another one" she croaked before she pushed herself to sit up. She looked around and was curious to find that the room was empty. She was expecting to see Sesshoumaru sitting in the room but the demon lord was nowhere to be found._

"_What the...? What is going on?" she questioned to no one in particular. Imagine her surprise when a light yet decidedly feminine voice decided to answer._

"_You are dreaming again young Higurashi Kagome" the voice stated from the doorway._

_Kagome turned her head to the side and held back a gasp at what she saw. There, standing before her was the Lady of the West and mate of Sesshoumaru._

"_My Lady…"Kagome said quietly before she attempted to get out of the bed and bow before the elegant woman standing in the room with her._

_Chiyoko laughed loudly and shook her head "Relax child there is no need to bow to me. We have some time and I decided the time was right to speak with you"_

"_But…I am dreaming right?" She was so confused and it showed on her face clear as day._

"_Indeed you are but that does not mean that the lessons we learn from our dreams do not hold any meaning" Chiyoko replied while she took a seat on the bed next to Kagome. She studied the woman who was so completely opposite from herself for a moment before she offered the girl a warm smile._

"_You are nothing like I imagined yet at the same time you are."_

"_What do you mean, My Lady?"_

"_For one, I expected you to be…older. You are so very young yet your soul shines with the wisdom of all that it has been through. I expected you to be afraid but you are not."_

"_I have no reason to fear you, My Lady. It is an honor to be able to speak with you."_

"_Thank you Kagome but the honor is mine" Chiyoko replied with a slight incline of her head._

"_So, I'm guessing that you wanted to talk about Sesshoumaru?" Kagome questioned softly._

"_Yes and a few other things as well."_

"_He misses you, all of you so very much" she said sadly._

"_He is missed by us as well. We have done our best to watch over him throughout these long years but we can only do so much we are dead after all"_

_Kagome choked and stared incredulously at the woman. _

"_Do not look so shocked Kagome. It has been nearly 400 years since I took my last breath; I have learned to accept it."_

"_I'm sorry for what happened to you. I don't know exactly what happened but I can't even begin to imagine how horrific it was for you."_

"_When the time is right you will come to know exactly what transpired that day but we will leave that story for another day. Tell me, how is it you intend to help my mate? Your progress with him is indeed impressive but it is not enough."_

_Kagome paused and looked away. She had no clear path to help Sesshoumaru. She had simply been going with what felt like and letting Sesshoumaru's memories guide her. It was true that they had made some significant progress but even Kagome knew that if things stayed as they were he would never recover completely._

"_I…I don't know. I don't know how to reach him. Sometimes he is so completely detached from everything and I'm not even sure that I am speaking to the same person. Other times he is almost like himself and resembles the demon I knew from the past. I thought that the medication was holding him back so…I reduced his dosage thinking that would help clear his mind. I guess that's how I ended up here isn't it?"_

"_Yes it is. You are, at the moment unconscious but it is that state of complete and total rest that has allowed this conversation to take place."_

"_What do you think I should do? I want to help him so badly but I haven't found the key to unlocking everything that is holding him back"_

_Chiyoko smiled softly at the young girls' words. The young miko was determined she would definitely credit her with that. It was the determination that was going to aid her in the upcoming months. Life was going to be difficult for the two of them but nothing in this world was ever easy and everything happened for a reason._

"_You care for him" Chiyoko said rather matter-of-factly. _

"_Well, yes he's my patient—"_

"_It is more than just that, Kagome. You care for him beyond that of a patient and one who looks after him."_

"_I—I'm sorry My Lady! I mean no disrespect…"_

"_It is alright child. He is learning to care for you in his own way as well."_

"_But…doesn't that upset you? He loves you! He loves you more than anything that he has ever loved in his life before."_

"_I am well aware of this but I am also not so selfish that I would expect him to be alone and miserable for the remainder of his long life, Kagome. Did you expect Inuyasha to remain alone and unhappy when it became clear to you that you could never return?"_

"_No! Of course not! But this is different. Inuyasha and I never had a chance while you and Sesshoumaru did. I don't want him to be alone but I don't want to dishonor your memory by…getting too involved."_

"_Kagome, more than just his mind is in need of healing. His heart his broken. So broken that I am not even certain that it will ever be the same. There is nothing that I can do to ease that pain because in his mind the only way for the pain to stop is if we are together again. Unfortunately that means that he would have to die and that is not acceptable. He needs to learn how to trust and love again Kagome and you are the only one who can show him that."_

"_But…why me? I am nothing special, I'm just Kagome!"_

"_It is precisely that reason why you are the one to help him. You are one of the most selfless individuals to ever walk this earth. You love with all of your mind, body and soul. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. Inuyasha told me once that you were the bravest person he had ever met in his life and I understand now why it was that he said that."_

_Kagome stared at the woman before her with wide, disbelieving eyes. She wasn't strong. If she was she wouldn't have allowed her heart to be shattered time and time again. If she was strong, she wouldn't have broken the jewel in the first place. If she was so brave, she wouldn't have needed to depend on others to protect her when things got dangerous. Higurashi Kagome was many things, but brave and strong were not a part of who she was._

"_Do not doubt yourself child. He will need you, more than you can imagine in the coming months. You must be there for him. Be patient with him and do not hold the latest incident between you against him. He did not mean to hurt you he just can't help himself."_

"_What is going to happen?"Kagome asked quickly even though she knew she wouldn't get an answer._

"_It is time for you to wake up now. Tell him…tell him that I will always love him and that his sons miss him" Chiyoko replied with tears shinning in her eyes._

"_Wait! Please! What is going to happen?"_

"_Wake up Kagome. All you have to do is wake up."_

_~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~_

Hazy, blue eyes fluttered much to the relief of everyone hovering near. Kagome inhaled deeply and released a groan before her eyes opened completely. A pair of golden orbs stared directly into hers and if she didn't know better she would think that they seemed almost relieved.

"S-Sesshoumaru?" she called softly.

The pair of eyes blinked and then looked away quickly. She tried to sit up but a set of powerful arms held her tightly to her spot. She looked around and discovered that she was lying across Sesshoumaru's lap and his arms were wound around her. Her head was resting on his thick, muscular thigh and her arms were folded loosely around her stomach.

"Try not to move too much Higurashi. You took quite a blow to the head and it's probably best if you relax for a minute" Onishi said quietly.

"What-what happened?"

"We were hoping you could tell us that"

The memories of her dream and the 'conversation' she shared with Lady Chiyoko were the only things fresh in her mind and she struggled to remember the events leading up to said conversation.

"I…I don't…" she took a deep breath and tried to clear her mind "I was finishing up the session before I went to grab some lunch. We were talking about when his youngest son took his first step and spoke his first word when he suddenly got angry. The last thing I remember before waking up was him clawing at me with his fingers."

The arms around her tightened even more and she looked up to find Sesshoumaru's head bowed low and his eyes closed. Slowly she reached up and trailed her fingers down his cheek. She lifted his chin and forced him to look at her.

"It's alright, Sesshoumaru. I know you didn't mean to hurt me."

"I—"

"I forgive you. It's alright, I promise" she said with a small smile.

"Hig-Kagome, if you are feeling up to it you and I need to have a conversation" Onishi said sternly.

_Damn I was hoping he wouldn't have figured it out_ she thought to herself before she nodded lightly. She moved to get up but Sesshoumaru's arms tightened and held her firm. Kagome looked up and was highly surprised at the raw emotions pouring of Sesshoumaru's face. He looked so sad and dejected and it hurt her heart to know that she was the reason for it.

"Sesshoumaru I need to get up now. I'll come back as soon as I've had something to eat and a chance to rest."

"I…do not wish you to go" he whispered.

"I know but it won't be long, okay?"

He nodded and reluctantly let her go. She got to her feet slowly and used to wall to steady herself. When she was sure the room wasn't spinning any more she gave Sesshoumaru a bright smile and looked to Onishi. His expression was sour and while she knew she deserved whatever anger he was about to unleash upon her, she was in no mood for it.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

Onishi handed Kagome a cup of tea before he took the cup he made for himself and sat in his chair behind his desk. They were silent and lost within their own thoughts. Onishi wanted to be angry with her but a small part of him couldn't be. He knew why she went against his order and he couldn't fault her for it but she had gotten lucky this time. Sesshoumaru could have killed her easily but she refused to accept that.

Kagome was still mulling over the details of her _dream_ while she waited for the scolding she knew she was going to receive. She would fight him on it though. She knew that getting Sesshoumaru off the medication was the key to his recovery but she accepted the fact that she should have started a little more slowly.

"How is your head?" Onishi asked after the silence became too much.

"I'm alright. I'm sure I'll have one hell of a headache later tonight but I'm fine" she replied.

"Kagome…why? Why didn't you listen to me? Don't you realize that he could have killed you?"

"I told you, those drugs are holding him back. I'll admit that I should have started slower than I did but I still think it was the right decision."

"You should have come to me and told me that you started cutting back his dosage as soon as you started. I would have been angry but we could have worked on it. I know that is seems like I'm not always on your side Kagome but I am. Believe me; no one wants to see Sesshoumaru get better more than I do. He's been here for almost three years now without anyone being able to reach him. We need to start working together instead of against one another."

"You're right and I'm sorry. I should have told you what I wanted to do but I thought you would fight me on it" she admitted slowly.

"I would have, without a doubt but you seem to have developed a good working relationship with him and most of the time I trust your judgment when it comes to his treatment."

"May I ask you something?"

"Of course"

"Who is paying for his stay here? I mean, it's not exactly cheap to stay in a place like this and I know there are programs out there for short term patients but he's been here for so long that no government program would want to sponsor him for that amount of time."

Onishi stiffened slightly but didn't let it show. How was he going to explain to her how the extreme cost of having Sesshoumaru here full time was being covered? He decided on a half-truth; it was better than nothing.

"His care is being taken care of by an anonymous source. I, of course donate my time to him but as far as the actual cost, I do not know."

Kagome's eyebrows knit together and her brain went into over drive. Who would do such a thing? Why would someone donate money to help a complete stranger who just so happened to be crazy? Unless…unless the person wasn't a stranger. The question now was; who?

"Don't you think it's odd?"

"No, as long as they continue to pay for his care that is really all that I am concerned with"

_What is she thinking? If she figures it out then everything is going to go to shit_ Onishi thought to himself quietly. He was very aware of who was paying for Sesshoumaru's care he just wasn't willing to share that piece of information just yet.

"Listen Kagome, you've had a long day so why don't you go say goodbye to Sesshoumaru and head home for the night?"

"I think I'll take you up on that offer. Thank you" she replied before she rose to her feet and bowed to him. His polite nod was the cue she needed to head out of the office and be on her way home. There was a large, hot bath waiting for her in her condo and possibly a cold glass of wine.

~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome tried to relax. She really, really did but it just wasn't working. She had come home and taken her bath and had her wine just like she planned yet here she was at 3:30 in the morning still wide awake. She tried everything she could think of but in the end decided that sleep was just going to be out of her reach tonight. She debated if she wanted to go back to the asylum and spend the night with Sesshoumaru but he had been sleeping when she left and didn't want to wake him up. He needed the rest just as much as she did.

Sighing she threw the covers off her and rose from the bed. The floor was cold against her bare feet and she made a mental note to dig her slippers out of the closet sometime this week. She stepped into the kitchen intent on finding something to snack on when a noise from her living room stopped her. It sounded like someone was flipping through some papers. She stood still as a stone and continued to listen but after several moments where she didn't hear another sound she decided that it was her sleep depraved mind playing tricks on her. Grabbing the container of leftovers from her dinner last night she made her way into the living room. She turned to switch the lights on but a voice that did not belong there stopped her.

"Don't."

Kagome dropped her food on the floor and froze where she stood.

"Who are you and how did you get in here?" she asked quietly.

"I told you before it doesn't matter who I am"

Suddenly recognizing the voice as the one who spoke to her weeks ago at the shrine Kagome went to turn and face him. Even if he wanted to remain in the shadows she at least wanted to be prepared for anything.

"Why are you here?"

"I need to find something and I thought that you had it" the man replied carefully.

"So, you broke into my home in the middle of the night to look for it? You could have just asked me if I had it" she seethed.

"Yes well, you're normally asleep at this time of night"

"How—you've been in here before?"

"Kagome, please don't yell at me. Believe what you want but I'm on your side and I'm trying to help you. I can't tell you everything yet."

"But you haven't told me anything! You give me a vague warning that _someone_ is going to be after Sesshoumaru but you can't tell me who it is. Then you tell me that these same people will come after me if they figure out that I'm helping him. Damnit I want answers! I deserve answers!"

"I can't Kagome I'm sorry. I can't risk you getting hurt because you and I both know that once you find out what's going on you're going to go out of your way to find the people responsible. You care a little too much sometimes, you always did."

Kagome looked at the man before her critically. This person…knew her she was positive of that.

"Who are you?" she asked again.

"A friend" was all he said before she felt a rush of wind hit her face. She looked back to the spot where the man was only seconds before but he was gone. She turned the light on quickly and found that the bag containing all of Sesshoumaru's possessions had been emptied and the contents scattered on the floor. It didn't look like anything was missing but she would know for sure until she went through it all. Sighing she sat back on her heels and thought.

"Shit! He never told me what he was looking for in the first place!" she yelled to no one in particular.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

When Kagome arrived at the asylum later that morning she was in a foul mood. After spending the first part of her morning going through everything that the stranger had dumped she found that nothing was missing. Every article of clothing, every letter and of course the necklace she always wore was all there. If the item the man was looking for was not with Sesshoumaru's belongings then she had no idea what it could be. Everything that Sesshoumaru owned was contained in the bag in her home with the exception of his swords. The sword that had been found with him was currently being kept in Onishi's personal safe though he would not say where it was. When she asked him about it months ago he replied that something as old and valuable as the sword needed to be preserved and protected. When she questioned why it hadn't been turned over to the department of antiquities she told her that there was no proof either way that it did or didn't belong to Sesshoumaru. He said that it wouldn't be right to just give it away if it was a family heirloom that Sesshoumaru might regret losing.

Focusing her attention back to the present she realized she had been sitting at her desk doing absolutely nothing for almost an hour now. Sesshoumaru should be awake and she had learned that his moods were best in the morning.

When she stepped into his room, she was immediately bombarded by the sadness radiating through Sesshoumaru's aura. She scanned the room and found him huddled in the corner, rocking back and forth and crying. She immediately rushed to his side and knelt down next to him.

"Sesshoumaru, what's wrong?" she asked while gently lifting his chin so she could look at his face.

"It hurts" he whispered.

"I know, believe me I do"

"When will it stop?" he cried.

"I can't promise you that it will never stop hurting but I can promise to do to my best to make it hurt less."

He buried his head in her hair and she just let him cry. Kagome knew the value of a good cry better than anyone. She ran her fingers through his hair while she rubbed soothing circles on his back. After a few minutes he sniffed one final time and lifted his head to look her in the face. His fingers came up to gently trace the dark purple bruises that marred her face.

"Does it hurt?" he asked.

"Not anymore" she reassured him.

"I…I am…sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you"

"I know" she said with a smile.

Sesshoumaru sat back and to her surprise pulled her to sit in his lap. She let her head come to rest on his shoulder while his arms held her loosely.

"He was a fool" he said quietly.

"Who was a fool?"

"Inuyasha"

She stiffened but tried not to let it show.

"Why do you say that?"

"He realized far too late just what it was that he felt for you. He wasted years of his life chasing after the dead one when you were right there by his side the whole time. It was obvious to me, even then, that your worth was far greater than hers ever was. If he had been intelligent he would have claimed you properly when he had the chance."

"Love makes you do stupid things Sesshoumaru. Once, I would have faulted him for his indecision and I often did but I can't hold it against him anymore"

"I used to believe that love was a weakness. I thought that my enemies could use that feeling against me. I could not have been more wrong. She showed me that love could make me stronger. Her love taught me so much"

"I'm glad you seemed to have such a wonderful teacher. She seemed like she was a truly wonderful lady."

"She was"

"Sesshoumaru, yesterday when I was unconscious I had a dream or rather what I thought was a dream. Your Lady, she…she came and spoke to me"

"I know" he said with certainty.

She lifted her head to look at him questioningly.

"You know? How?"

"She told me"

"What? When?"

"This morning over tea. She told me that she spoke to you but she did not tell me what she said"

"She told me to tell you that she loves you very much and that your children miss you terribly" she tried to keep her voice from cracking but she couldn't.

"I miss them as well but the days and nights are no longer as lonely as they once were"

"Sesshoumaru I don't want to take her place in your heart but I need you to know that I won't hurt you. I promised you I would protect you and I meant it."

He nodded but didn't say anything more. She knew he understood what she was saying, even if she didn't understand it herself.

"Tell me about the night you took her as your mate" Kagome asked quietly.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

_Sesshoumaru stood silent and observed the guests as they filtered into the great hall. The mating ceremony was the talk of society and there were so many rumors flying around that it almost became laughable. Some claimed that his future Lady had bewitched him and that he was doing this because he couldn't see past her lies._

_Other's claimed that he had already bedded her and that the only way to keep for the two of them to keep their honor was for them to mate. _

_All of the rumors were ridiculous of course but he couldn't deny that they were amusing to hear. He found it hard to believe that they couldn't understand that he was generally fond of the woman and that she would only bring strength to the West. Their heirs would be powerful and he was certainly looking forward to creating those heirs._

_Forcing his lecherous thoughts to the back of his mind he turned his attention to the head of the demon council. He would be the one presiding over the ceremony and he was also one of his father's closest allies in the past._

"_I must say Sesshoumaru, I had about given up hope that you would ever find a mate"_

"_This Sesshoumaru was not aware that his personal life was of such concern to you" he snapped back._

"_Do not bark at me pup. I was only concerned for your future and the future of the West. You may be strong but even you won't live forever and you will need someone to carry on your legacy."_

"_Hn"_

_The older demon chuckled and laid a hand on Sesshoumaru's shoulder._

"_You are more like your father than you realize but I am happy to say that you have made a fine choice. Lady Chiyoko is a delightful woman who will keep you on your toes and that temper of yours in check. I remember when she was born and presided over her naming ceremony. I hope to have the honor of overseeing the naming ceremony of your children one day."_

"_No one else would deserve that honor"_

_The old man smiled and turned to the altar "Come, it is time"_

_~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~_

_Chiyoko took slow, careful steps up to the altar where her future mate was standing. She was wearing a traditional kimono decorated with the colors of the Western Lord and she didn't try to stop the smile that was on her face. Never in her life would she have imagined that she would catch the eye of the Western Prince. She wasn't complaining though. He was incredibly handsome, undeniably strong and she knew she would be safe with him. _

_Her father delivered her to her place beside her soon-to-be-mate and bowed respectfully before the pair. Chiyoko and Sesshoumaru turned to one another bowed and linked their hands together._

"_Today, we celebrate a most auspicious union between our esteemed Lord Sesshoumaru and Lady Chiyoko. Today we bring together two noble houses in a bond beyond time and space. The taking of a mate is a sacred act that is not to be taken lightly. Patience and respect must be observed between both halves of the union but there must also be love and affection. The love between two mates can be a powerful ally and through that love there is nothing that can stand in their way."_

_He paused and turned to grab a cup sitting on a table nearby. He passed the cup to Sesshoumaru first and motioned for him to drink. Once he did the cup was passed to Chiyoko who also drank. Once that was finished he joined their hands together again and continued._

"_Lord Sesshoumaru, do you pledge your loyalty to this woman and this woman alone? Will you protect her from the evils of this world and cherish each day with her?"_

"_I will"_

"_Lady Chiyoko, do you pledge your loyalty to t his man and this man alone? Will you protect him from the evils of this world and cherish each day with him?"_

"_I will"_

"_Then by the Kami's blessing I declare before the council of elders and all those who are here to witness that your are now bonded by youkai law. Turn and address your subject as the Lord and Lady of the Western Lands!"_

_The couple turned and faced the crowd who were all bowed in respect for the new Lord and Lady._

"_Rise and come bestow your well wishes upon the Western House before we begin the celebration" the elder demon said and all those who were gathered stood and cheered loudly. Everyone present was happy to see that the West was finally complete._

_~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~_

_Hours later after the celebration had ended; Sesshoumaru led his new bride to what were now their chambers. The final portion of the mating ceremony was something that was private and never permitted to be viewed by outsiders. He would admit to himself that he was looking forward to this more than anything else. It wasn't simply because he hadn't had a good rut in a long time; it was the anticipation of taking something that would belong to him and only him. She would never know the touch and pleasure of another male and his chest swelled with pride. Tonight he would show her the true meaning of pleasure._

_He led her inside the room and was happy to find that everything he had requested was in place. The candles were dimmed and the silk sheets on his bed had been turned down. The flowers were a nice addition even though he hadn't asked for them. He turned to his mate and could see her nervousness shining through her vibrant green eyes. He knew she was untouched and he wanted to reassure her that he wouldn't hurt her._

"_Do not be afraid" he whispered low into her ear._

_She shivered and turned her eyes to his face "Forgive me, my Lord I cannot help but be nervous. I have never known the touch of a male before and I am unsure what I should expect" she admitted freely._

"_Do not expect anything but pleasure. I cannot promise you that there will be no pain but I can promise you that it will not last long"_

_She nodded and turned a dazzling smile on him._

"_I have something to give you" he told her while he ran his fingers down her cheek lightly. He spun around quickly and retrieved a small package wrapped in the finest silk available. He watched her with great fascination as she unwrapped his gift to her._

_Chiyoko gasped as the beautifully crafted necklace, bearing the symbols of both of their heritage, was displayed before her. She could feel the pulse of his youkai humming through it and it made her smile._

"_It's beautiful, my Lord. Thank you" she said with a bigger smile._

_He took the necklace from her and moved behind her. He gently lifted it around her slender neck and made sure the clasp was secured. He bent low and placed a few light kisses to her shoulder before pulling her back against his powerful chest. He felt her heartbeat speed up in her chest along with the sharp intake of breath. The scent of her arousal spiked and he smirked._

_He spun her quickly and captured her lips in a searing kiss full of promises for the night to come. When they pulled apart they were both breathless and eager for more. His hands lingered on her shoulders for a moment before they went to the obi holding her kimono closed. He wasted no time in removing it and tossing it to the ground. He felt her breath hitch as his fingers slide underneath the silk material of her kimono before he pushed it off her body completely and let it fall to the floor._

_Instinctively, Chiyoko moved to cover herself but Sesshoumaru held her hands gently in his._

"_Do not cover your beauty from me" he purred seductively as he licked her ear. His fingers ghosted lightly over her soft skin, trailing down her arms until he reached her full, inviting breasts. He wasted no time before he began to massage them eliciting a delicious moan from the tiny female before him. She was responding beautifully and soon he would have her begging for more. He bent low and captured one of her hardened nipples between his teeth. He alternated between the two mounds of flesh that he was rapidly becoming addicted to while relishing in the sounds that she made. His mate was a vocal being and he was looking forward to having her screaming his name in pleasure._

_Slowly his hands resumed their downward trek until they reached the soft curls hiding her greatest treasure. He could feel the heat radiating from her and the wetness that was increasing by the second. He groaned as he thought about his hardened member caressing the walls that were hidden beneath._

_Carefully he slid his fingers between the folds of her sex and felt her shudder. He wanted to throw her on the bed in that moment and take her but he knew he needed to be gentle with her. Still, he couldn't deny the intense desires that were coursing through his body._

_He stepped back and took in her flushed appearance with pride. He made short work of his clothing and soon stood before her as naked as she was._

_Chiyoko's eyes widened considerably when she finally got her first look at all her mate had to offer her. He was perfect in every way and she said a silent thank you to whichever Kami had blessed her with the exquisite male before her._

"_Does this Sesshoumaru's appearance please his mate?" he asked._

"_I—hmm—yes my Lord" she replied shyly._

_Sesshoumaru chuckled. She was so innocent._

_He bent down and kissed her again before leading her over to the bed. He laid her down gently and settled on top of her. She looked up at him with her eyes shining with the trust she held in him. The thought that he was about to cause her intense pain raced through his mind but he told himself that it wouldn't last long. He positioned himself between her parted thighs and after rubbing the head of his throbbing member across her drenched heat he knew that she was ready._

_He leaned over and nuzzled the side of her head while slowly sliding the tip inside. He stopped when he reached the proof of her innocence, lifted his head and gazed deeply into her eyes._

"_Forgive me" he whispered before he thrust his hips forward. He swallowed her cry of pain with a deep kiss and waited for the discomfort to subside. He kept his eyes focused on her face and when he saw her slight nod he knew that it was alright to continue. Now was his chance to prove to her all that he had to offer her, and prove it he did._

_~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~_

Kagome sat back while she envisioned the deeply intimate scene between the two. She was surprised that Sesshoumaru shared such private details but she was happy that he did.

"Thank you for sharing that with me Sesshoumaru"

He nodded but remained silent. Kagome knew that he was lost in his own thoughts but she didn't begrudge him that. She looked at the clock and noticed that it was almost noon. Her stomach grumbled and she decided that it was time for lunch. She carefully extracted herself from Sesshoumaru's hold and headed for the door. She was almost through when Sesshoumaru's voice floated to her ears.

"Someday Miko, perhaps you will be able to experience the same pleasure's that had my mate screaming my name until her voice was gone" he said with a smirk.

Kagome's mouth hung open while she stared at him. Great, just fucking great. Not only was he crazy but apparently he was perverted too.


	20. Warnings in the Dark

A/N: Once again, I'm sorry it took so long to get this out. Things have been crazy lately. A few quick points about this chapter. Before anyone asks, NO, Sesshoumaru is not better despite how he is in this chapter. I needed to move things along because I felt like this was dragging. Second, I hope you all enjoy some limey goodness. No we're not up to lemons yet but be patient LoL. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed and as always, reviews are greatly appreciated!

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

Warnings in the Dark.

Days blended into weeks and weeks into months and before Kagome realized it, winter was settling over Japan like a vice. The snow had been uncommonly heavy this year and once again Kagome frowned as she made her way inside the asylum…4 hours late. She spent all morning digging her car out from underneath the 3 feet of snow that had fallen the night before. She loved with winter, she really did but for some reason it was annoying her this year.

The cold seemed to go through her like a knife and the nights were long and depressing. She chalked it up to the fact she worked in an asylum for crazy people; it was always depressing there. All of the staff didn't have the energy that they normally did and if possible, the place felt even more like a prison than it had when she first started. Even Sesshoumaru seemed more melancholy. Well, more than was normal for him anyway.

Things had changed for the former demon lord in the past few months. He was decidedly more lucid and that made their conversations easier but he was still nowhere near where he used to be. Kagome doubted that he would ever truly be the same but the progress that he'd made in the months that she had been working with him were encouraging.

She hadn't seen her mysterious intruder since he broke into her apartment and she didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Her mother said there were no unusual visitors to the shrine and Kagome was starting to believe that her life was _finally_ starting to return to normal. Well, as normal for her as it could be.

Smiling at the guard standing at the entrance, she allowed the warmth of the heated asylum take hold before she headed to her office. She hoped that Sesshoumaru's schedule wouldn't be too disrupted by her tardiness. He tended to be rather cranky when she was late. She opened her office and threw her coat, gloves and hat on the couch before trying to do something with her hair. Realizing that it wasn't going to happen, she pulled it into a high pony tail and headed out. It was true that jeans and a sweatshirt really weren't appropriate attire but honestly, she didn't care. The nurse at the receptionist station still had her snow pants on. For once she was happy that she was on the 5th floor; it was definitely going to be warmer up there.

She stepped off the elevator and was surprised to find it quiet. It was a little too quiet for her tastes actually. Her steps quickened until she was practically running down the hall. The guards noticed her hasty arrival and made sure the door was already opened before she was in front of it.

Kagome sped through the open door and stopped short when she saw Sesshoumaru sitting quietly on his bed. His eyes slid to her and they narrowed slightly.

"You are late," he said coldly.

"Yes, well, in case you didn't know, there's 3 feet of snow on the ground. It tends to slow things down," she fired back.

"How would I know? I have left this room and joined the outside world once in the 2 years that I have been here."

"Can you blame them? You're not exactly yourself, Sesshoumaru. And let's not mention the fact that you tried to kill almost everyone that has come in here to help you, including me."

"And yet, you return day after day on this foolish quest to save my soul," he spat.

"Did you have a bad night or something? You're not usually this pissy."

"Every night is a bad night, Kagome."

Her eyes softened at his saddened tone. Yes he was very coherent and improving but under the surface he was still suffering greatly. Sometimes he was so much like the demon lord she knew in the past that she forgot there was something wrong with him.

"Are you dreaming again?" she asked carefully while she moved to sit next to him.

He nodded slowly and lowered his head. Kagome reached out and lifted his chin so she could look at him.

"I thought you said they had stopped?"

"They did…for a time. Now, I have them every night. I see them…I see them not as they should be but as they were…in the end. I wake up in a cold sweat and am unable to achieve sleep again."

"I can give you something—"

"No."

"Sesshoumaru…"

"No more pills, no more medication. I have taken enough to last twenty life times."

"If you're sure…"

"I am sure," he replied with a sigh.

"Talk to me. Tell me what you're feeling."

"It is difficult. I am not used to these…feelings. For so long I lived as though I needed no one. I believed that I would be…happy if I were to be alone for the rest of my life. And then she came and everything changed. I was happy…so happy even if I could never express that happiness. Then she was gone and I was lost. I am still lost."

"But you're not alone anymore. You don't have to face this by yourself. I'm here," she told him while running her fingers lightly through his hair. His head turned into her touch and he closed his eyes.

"You won't always be here. One day you will be just like them…a memory."

"That's not going to happy for a long time Sesshoumaru. I'll stay with you for as long as I have to; to the end of my life if that's what it will take."

"But that is the reality of it, miko. To you, the seventy or eighty years you will live seem like such a long time. To me, it is but a blink of the eye and then you will be gone."

"Well, I'm not gone yet so don't dwell on the future today, okay?"

She offered him a smile and was not surprised when he didn't return it. They sat in a comfortable silence before Kagome's back started to kink. She groaned lightly, stood up and stretched. Sesshoumaru eyed her curiously having finally noticed her attire.

"You are dressed strangely," he said.

"Yeah, well I didn't feel like changing. It's too cold out for what I normally wear and if the weather reports were correct we're supposed to get more snow tonight. There's a good chance I won't be going home so I wanted to be comfortable."

"It is a drastic change from the things you wore in the past," he smirked.

Kagome blushed and shook her head, "I know but what can I say? It was easier to wear that than to ruin everything I owned all the time."

"Hn."

Kagome shot him a glare but seeing his amused expression she couldn't help but laugh.

"I didn't realize you were paying that much attention."

"I was not. But you have to admit that it was hard to ignore."

"I'm not going to have this conversation with you again. I think I liked you a little more when you were still completely out of your mind; you were less of a pervert," she mumbled as she sat back down next to him.

"Then what shall we talk about today, miko?" he questioned.

She thought for a moment before something popped in her head that had been nagging at her for some time now.

"What happened to the others, Sesshoumaru? I would understand if you didn't know about my human friends but what about the other demons that I met like Kouga and Shippou?"

Sesshoumaru sat back and tried to get more comfortable. No, he couldn't tell her about all of the people she knew in the past but he could give her some answers.

"You are correct in that I do not know what became of the Monk and Slayer beyond what I learned from Rin and Kohaku. I do know that they stayed in the village and had several children. I never paid them any mind when I went to visit with Rin and they knew enough to not bother me."

He paused and studied her face. She was saddened, that much he could tell but she didn't seem too distressed.

"The Wolf Prince lived and took a mate shortly before I did. He was of great assistance to the west during the battle with the south but fell during a particularly fierce battle. He fought with honor and his bravery did not go without notice. His mate remained with his tribe to care for their pups but beyond that I have little else to say."

Kagome tried not to let her sadness show but she couldn't help it. A single tear rolled down her cheek for her lost friend. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear anymore but since she was the one who asked the question she needed to see this through.

"Your kitsune was very much alive and was a frequent guest in the house of the west. He stayed in the village with the Monk and Slayer for a time but he decided to wander in the end. I did not allow him to participate in the war as a warrior even though he begged to be included. He became my messenger and ferried messages between myself, my troops and my Lady. The last time I saw him was shortly before I left the battlefield to return to…what was left of my home," he ended slowly.

Kagome smiled. At least there was some comfort to all the death that happened in the past.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"Why do you not ask the question that is truly pressing on your mind?"

She turned her head quickly to look at him but lowered it when his piercing gaze reached her.

"I—I'm not ready for those answers yet."

"You cannot avoid them forever, Kagome. You will never truly have closure with your past if you do not face it."

"Are you my doctor now? Last time I checked _you_ were the one who needed help, not me," she bit back angrily.

"I—I'm sorry…I didn't mean to upset you," he replied quietly before he moved away from her and lowered his head.

_Shit!_ she cursed within her mind. She knew he never reacted well to her anger and it caused him to close up on her.

"I'm sorry Sesshoumaru. It's just…Inuyasha is a sore subject with me and I'm just not ready to hear that tale yet."

He nodded but didn't say anything else. The two lapsed back into a tense silence that they were in no hurry to break. They would have stayed that way but Sesshoumaru's head suddenly lifted and he glared at the door.

"The other one is coming," he said with disgust.

"Other one? You mean Onishi-sensei?"

"He tests my patience with his meddling."

"Well, he's my boss. I don't have any choice but to listen to what he tells me to do."

"Hn."

Kagome rolled her eyes and stood up when the door was opened. Onishi strolled in and eyed Kagome critically. He wanted to chastise her for her attire but knowing how possessive Sesshoumaru had become over her in the last few months he decided to keep it tame.

"Interesting choice in wardrobe, Higurashi."

Kagome shrugged, "It's going to snow more I didn't think it would be a big deal."

"It's not just don't make a habit of it," he replied before he turned his attention to Sesshoumaru. "How are you doing today?"

Sesshoumaru simply glared at the man. It was clear that he would only talk to Kagome and Onishi had accepted that. Still, he wasn't going to give up.

"I hate to interrupt your chat but there is something we need to discuss Higurashi."

Kagome nodded and turned to Sesshoumaru, "I'll be back in a little bit."

He tilted his head to the side, giving his only indication that he heard her before she turned and followed Onishi out the door. The elevator ride was quiet but not strained so Kagome assumed that whatever he had to say wasn't all that bad.

It didn't take long before she was seated in his office with a steaming cup of tea held in her hands. She looked at her mentor carefully and noticed that he looked extremely on edge and exhausted. She had seen him tired before but this was different.

"What's wrong?" she asked when he continued to say nothing.

"I got a phone call from the police. It seems that they are once again taking an interest in your patient."

"What do you mean?" she asked carefully.

"As you know, there are a lot of unexplained disappearances at Mt. Fuji every year but the authorities have always claimed it to be inexperienced climbers, weather and what not. Now, it would appear that they are trying to link Sesshoumaru to some of those missing persons."

"What? You can't be serious?"

"I am afraid that I am very serious Kagome. I don't know why they are opening up the investigation now. They can't possibly know about how his condition is improving because those records are sealed and are not accessible by anyone but me without proper documentation by the government. I have tried to explain that he is in no condition to talk to anyone but they refuse to see it that way. They are going to come and try to interrogate him and there is nothing I can do to stop it."

Kagome's heart seized in her chest. She didn't know what to think of the situation. She couldn't let them talk to Sesshoumaru for so many reasons. The fact that he was a demon was actually the least of her concerns. She had no idea how he would react to a group of strangers questioning him on things that she knew he would never be able to answer.

"What are we going to do? He can't talk to them; hell even _if_ he was responsible for any of the missing persons he probably wouldn't remember it. He was at the height of his schizophrenia when they found him and he's really not that much better. Yes I can talk to him and yes he can hold a normal conversation but there are days when he is not much different from when I first started working with him."

"I don't know what we can do. I can't stop them from coming and I can't let him out of here even for just a few days. This is a maximum security facility; they would never believe that he suddenly managed to escape right before he was due to be questioned."

Kagome sat back and thought long and hard about what they could do. Unfortunately, the only solution that presented itself was one she didn't want to entertain.

"We'll have to medicate him again. The sedatives cloud his ability to form rational thought; it's why I started taking him off them in the first place. If we bring his levels back up to where they were he won't be able to answer any questions they have."

"Kagome, do you have any idea how dangerous that would be? We could send him into shock."

"I know but…he's not going to lie to them. He doesn't lie. If he did kill any of those people he's going to admit to it and then they will take him away and lock him in prison. Do you know what that will do to him?"

"I know Kagome, I know but I don't know what we're going to do."

"Let me talk to him. Let me find out if he knows what really happened before he came here. If he can't remember anything then we have nothing to worry about. If he does, well we'll deal with it then. Can you make sure that no matter what, I'm in the interrogation with him?"

"Yes, they are aware that one, if not both of us will be present for the questioning."

"When are they coming?"

"Tomorrow morning no matter the weather conditions."

Kagome sighed, they didn't have much time, "I better get to it then."

Onishi nodded and sent her on her way. He sat back in his chair and sighed heavily. Something wasn't right about the whole situation but his hands were tied. He only hoped that Sesshoumaru had nothing to do with the missing persons and that Kagome was able to keep him calm enough during the questioning.

It was going to be a very long night.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

"Police department?"

Kagome frowned; she forgot he wouldn't know who or what a police department was.

"Yeah, basically they are people who investigate crimes. Everything from people who steal to murderers."

"What is it that they want with me?"

"They think…Sesshoumaru I have to ask you some questions and I need you to tell me everything you remember."

He nodded slowly and stared into her eyes. He could feel her hesitance and it confused him.

"When you were hiding in that cave, did any humans ever discover that you were there?"

His brow furrowed in concentration before he shook his head, "I do not know. There is much that I do not remember from that time."

"I need you to think really hard for me. Please Sesshoumaru this is extremely important," she begged.

"Why? What do they believe this Sesshoumaru did?"

"They want to blame you for a bunch of disappearances over the years. They want to say that you killed the missing people. If…if it's true and you did, they'll take you away. They'll lock you up in a cell and you will never again see the light of day. I'm not even going to go in to what will happen if they figure out that you're not human."

His eyes widened in what she could only describe as fear, "You cannot let them take me!" he cried before he tore from the bed and hid himself in the corner.

Kagome followed after him determined not to let him slip away. She kneeled before him and brought her hands to cup his face. He was trembling and she could see that he was fighting for control.

"Sesshoumaru look at me," when he raised his eyes to her she continued, "I promise I will do everything that I can to make sure they don't but you have to tell me what you know. I don't care if you did but I can't help you if I don't know."

"I do not remember what happened!"

His eyes glistened with unshed tears and he wound his arms around Kagome. He pulled her tightly to his chest and sobbed into her hair.

"She promised…" he whispered, "She promised I would be safe with you."

"Please don't give up on me. I'll do whatever it takes Sesshoumaru. I won't let them take you," she cried before she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him fiercely. She was momentarily surprised by her boldness but in the end she didn't care. The kiss turned from one that was raw, hot and powerful to something more tender and loving in a matter of seconds. His mouth was smooth and warm against hers and it didn't take long before his fingers were tangled in her hair in an attempt to draw her in closer.

Realistically, she knew she needed to stop but she couldn't. Her feelings for Sesshoumaru had been steadily building for months no matter how much she tried to deny it. Her whole world revolved around him and her every waking moment was spent trying to help him. Her dreams had been the only place where she couldn't escape her growing attraction to him. She wasn't trying to take away the place in his heart that was held by his mate but she couldn't help how _she_ felt. She wasn't sure if she could call it love but in truth she just didn't have a word for it yet.

She felt Sesshoumaru shift and she soon found herself lying flat on her back with the demon lord perched above her. His lips never left hers and soon the kiss took on a more primal, lustful feel. His hands traveled from her hair and down her arms until they finally found the end of her sweatshirt. He slid them easily underneath the thick material and he guided them back up until he found what he was looking for.

Kagome moaned into his mouth the moment his fingers came in contact with her breasts. She was well past the point of common sense but her lust filled mind refused to let her see that. All she knew was the burning trail that his hands left on her body as his mouth continued to explore hers. She whimpered softly when he pulled away to push her shirt up over her head. She wanted to laugh at his slightly confused expression when he encountered the lacy contraption that hid her breasts from his view. Deciding that she wouldn't torture him too much, she reached up and carefully slid the straps off her shoulders and pushed her bra down. She watched as his eyes darkened before he lowered his head and took one of her hardened nipples in his mouth.

She moaned again and bucked under him while he sucked her breasts like a greedy child. He was far from gentle but it only served to heighten her arousal. She didn't know when she reached down to undo the button on her jeans and pull the zipper down but she was thankful that she did when she felt Sesshoumaru's free hand move down towards the place she ached the most. She almost cried out when his fingers slid between her slick folds to rub against her sensitive clit but she held it in. The last she needed was for someone to come in wondering what happened.

His fingers moved in quick circles and soon the sounds of her breathless panting and begging reached his ears. It had been too long since he last knew the feel of a woman beneath him and despite the fact that his mind was at war, calling him a betrayer to his mates' memory, he kept going. He wanted to taste every inch of her skin, he wanted to feel her squirming underneath him and he wanted to be buried so deep within her hot, tight core that she would feel like she was being split in half. He knew it wouldn't happen this time but he promised himself that it would be soon.

She was close, so close she could taste it on the tip of her tongue. He must have sensed it too because the fingers that were buried deep within sped up. She threw her head back in a silent scream before her eyes landed on something that made her body freeze. The glowing red light from the security camera reminded her instantly that they were NOT in a private setting and that the guards in the security center were most likely…oh Kami!

"Sess—Sesshoumaru…stop…"she panted.

He slowed his movements and looked at her curiously.

"We can't—we're not...we're not alone," she managed to choke out while twisting her head in hopes that he would notice the security camera.

Sesshoumaru looked up at the offending object and sneered. He knew destroying them would do no good. He had destroyed them in the past and they always came and put up new ones. Reluctantly he removed his fingers from her tight heat and leaned over to kiss her softly.

"Another time, miko" he purred before he stood up completely leaving her nearly naked and breathless on the floor.

Even though her brain was barely functioning it was hard to ignore the enormous bulge straining to free itself from the confines of his pants. She felt bad that she stopped their actions but realistically she knew that it shouldn't have gone as far as it did. He was her patient. It didn't matter that she knew him in the past. What mattered was that she was charged with his care now and she had allowed her emotions to take over and consume her. She swore to herself right then and there that it would never happen again.

Well, as long as he was still her patient that was.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

Sleep didn't come to Kagome easily the night before and it wasn't because she spent the night on the couch in her office replaying the events that happened in Sesshoumaru's room. No, she was nervous about the upcoming visit from the police department and she didn't try to hide it. She believed Sesshoumaru when he told her that he didn't remember anything from when he was living in the cave but she knew it wouldn't be as easy to convince the police of that. He attacked several innocent people when he was found and had injured dozens more upon his arrival at the asylum. It didn't help that he had no identification what so ever and there was no way to obtain that information. He had no birth certificate, no finger prints; there was nothing to help build his case.

She was so afraid that they would convict him right there and cart him off to the city jail. Or worse, when the figured out that he was _different_ from everyone else he would be taken to a medical facility where they would experiment on him. She meant what she said when she promised him that she wouldn't allow them to take him she just had to figure out a way to do that. She could help him escape but that brought up another series of questions. The most prominent one being where they would go. She couldn't exactly hide him in her apartment forever and the shrine was off limits. Once they figured out that she had a hand in his escape they would be all over her home and the place she grew up. No, helping him escape wasn't an option.

Her only hope was to plead his case of insanity. People who are insane can't be put into jail because they are too unstable. They were a danger to themselves as well as those around them. Come hell or high water, she would do everything in her power to make sure he stayed right where he was.

Kagome stood and stretched before going over to her closet and pulling out her spare suit. She was thankful that she always kept one here because she didn't think Onishi-sensei would appreciate her showing up in jeans and a sweatshirt again. She headed off to the employee lounge to shower and grab some breakfast before she went downstairs. She had one thing to take care of before she began her day and it wasn't going to be easy. She needed to talk to the security guards who were manning the camera room. While the mere thought of expressing just _why_ she needed the footage from Sesshoumaru's room deleted from last night made her blush she knew she had to remain calm about it.

Once she was certain that everything was in place she made her way down to the first floor and knocked lightly on the door. It was opened by a large, intimidating man who looked at her curiously before bowing low.

"Higurashi-sensei, how can I help you?" he asked.

"Umm…right…here's the deal. I need you to…accidentally erase something off one of the cameras from last night," she managed to stutter out slowly.

"Higurashi-sensei you know that we can't—"

"I _know_ what you are told to do but I need this to be done and I need you to not ask me any questions."

The man glared at her before a flicker of amusement danced in his eyes.

_Fuck, he knows_ she thought to herself. She watched as he went over to the computer and typed a few things in to it.

"What time frame do you need erased?"

"Just erase everything from around 9:00pm to 10:00pm."

The guard punched a few more things into the computer before declaring that the security system must have been impacted by the storm the night before. Unfortunately all of the surveillance from the 5th floor was lost for about an hour.

Kagome bowed and thanked the man profusely. He only smiled at her and gave off a light chuckle.

"You aren't the first Higurashi-sensei, nor will you be the last to come to me with a request like that. Next time, take it to your office," he laughed before he sent her on her way.

Kagome's face turned bright red but she wasted little time. She sprinted out the door and headed back upstairs to begin her day.

Onishi looked at his silent companion curiously while they sat in his office awaiting the arrival of the police officer. He had gotten word from the front gate that they had arrived and were on their way inside. Kagome was unusually quiet and seemed to be off in her own little world. She was smiling though and while that was not unusual, she was almost always smiling, he couldn't understand why. He knew she was nervous about the meeting he could feel it pouring off her body. Yet, there she sat as calm as could be smiling to herself about Kami knew what.

"Higurashi?"

Kagome pulled herself out of her daydream and glanced at Onishi.

"Sorry, I guess I got lost in my thoughts for a little while."

"Please try to focus. You know how important this meeting is."

"I know, I'm sorry," she replied sadly.

They returned to a comfortable silence for a moment before there was a strong knock on the door. Onishi told the person on the other side to enter and Kagome immediately stood and turned around.

The door was opened and in walked a tall, well built…woman? Kagome blinked several times to make sure she was seeing things correctly. When she was sure she was, she stood back and observed the woman. She was tall, nearly as tall as she was with short brown hair and cold, dark eyes. She carried herself with an air of confidence that surrounded her like a blanket. She didn't look much older than Kagome herself did.

"Onishi Susumu?" the woman questioned and Onishi bowed low before her.

"This is my associate, Higurashi Kagome. She has been working with the patient you are here to question."

The woman turned to Kagome and gave her a short bow which Kagome returned.

"I am Ashida Kasumi. You know why I am here so I won't bother going over the details," she cut right to it.

Onishi and Kagome both glared at the woman but decided not to argue.

"If you will follow us then we will take you upstairs," Onishi replied before he gestured to the door. He gave Kagome a discreet nod and she fell in line behind them.

The trip up to the 5th floor was extremely tense and uncomfortable. Kagome kept glancing at the woman to her right and she felt her uneasiness grow. There was something about her that just didn't feel right. She couldn't decide what it was that she was feeling but she knew it wasn't positive.

The doors to the elevator opened and the three occupants stepped out. Onishi led them down the hall quickly and nodded to the guards when they approached Sesshoumaru's room. He held the door open for the two women and stepped in behind them.

Sesshoumaru was perched casually on the bed and did not look up when they entered. The detective took a quick glance at her surroundings before zeroing in on the silent demon lord. Kagome held her breath as the woman made her way towards him. _Here we go_ she thought before she too moved closer.

Kasumi glared down at the man sitting on the bed with a look of indifference.

"State your name for the record," she began.

Sesshoumaru remained silent.

"I said, state your name," she repeated.

When he didn't respond again she leveled her gaze on the woman next to her.

"He does know how to speak does he not?"

"Yes he does. He's just uncomfortable around people he doesn't know," Kagome fired back.

"Fine, we'll just get right to it then. You were found living in cave on Mt. Fuji almost three years ago. How long were you living there?"

Again, the demon lord just sat there staring off into space.

"You will make him answer me."

"I can't _make_ him do anything he doesn't want to do. He's in here for a reason; he's crazy."

"Do you know anything about the disappearance of several hikers and tourists dating back almost 15 years?"

"No," Sesshoumaru finally said.

"Are you certain? There were a lot of unidentified remains found inside that cave you were living in; many of them looked to be human. Did you murder them?"

"No"

"No? Then where did they come from? I find it hard to believe that they just magically appeared in there with you. If you admit that you did it, it'll make it that much easier and we can move along with this."

"If he said he didn't do it, he didn't do it!" Kagome snapped.

"Kagome be quiet!" Onishi hissed.

Kasumi looked at the woman next to her with disgust. She hated sympathizers.

"Look, we can do this one of two ways. You can sit here and keep your mouth shut and then I will be forced to take drastic measures or you can tell me what you know and there might be hope for you yet."

"Stop talking to him like he's guilty!"

"If she doesn't shut the hell up right now, I'm going to ask you to remove her from the room and this interrogation will go on without her."

Kagome clamped her mouth shut and turned her frightened eyes towards Sesshoumaru. He was staring at the other woman with malice and hatred shining in his eyes.

"You wish me to sit here and say that I am guilty of crimes that I do not remember? Do you take me for a fool woman?"

"It's convenient that you don't remember what happened but then again you are supposed to be crazy aren't you?"

"Leave." Onishi's voice rang out from behind.

Kasumi spun and looked at the man behind her.

"Excuse me? May I remind you that I am here with the full authority of—"

"I don't give a shit on whose authority you are here. In this place, I make the rules. You are disturbing an already severely disturbed patient and I will not sit here and allow you to antagonize him. Leave now. If his condition improves to the point where he will be able to talk to you and provide answers I will call you but for now, you're only doing more harm than good."

Kagome tried her best to hide her shock but failed miserably. She never expected Onishi to defend Sesshoumaru so strongly.

Kasumi looked around the room again before her hardened gaze settled on Kagome. Her eyes narrowed slightly before she turned and huffed.

"Fine, but I promise you that I will be back and he will answer whatever questions I have for him."

With that, she stepped out of the room and allowed herself to be led away by the guards. Kagome immediate rushed over to Sesshoumaru in the hopes that she could calm him.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Sesshoumaru…"

"Go, I must conference with my advisors. They will know what to do," he replied before he turned to the wall and started talking to it.

Kagome's heart sank. She knew letting that woman in here was a mistake.

"Come Kagome," Onishi said while he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "he's had enough excitement for one day."

He led her out of the room and closed the door behind him. Things had suddenly got a lot more complicated.

Outside of the asylum, Kasumi slipped her hand into her pocket and grabbed her phone. After quickly dialing a number she waited for it to answer. When it did, she didn't bother hiding the smirk that played across her lips.

"I found him."


	21. The Rising Storm Approaches

**A/N: Peeks out from behind the corner. Yes I realize that it has been over a year since this was updated and I offer my sincerest apologies. 2012 was not kind. I took a promotion at work that has run me ragged. In February my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and most recently I have been dealing with the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, I live on the New Jersey Shore. I hope you can all forgive me and I hope that I still have a few fans of this story left. Hopefully this answers a few of your questions while raising a few others. As always reviews are greatly apprecited and your support for this story has always been my driving force behind it. Thank you EVERYONE!**

**I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated**

"Are you sure it was them?"

"There's no way to be certain completely, but I know what I felt." Onishi replied before he sat behind his desk.

"So what are we going to do? If they know he's here it's only a matter of time before they come for him," the person across from him said.

"I know this but we're not ready. He's not ready. I thought we had more time."

"We knew this would happen eventually it's just happening sooner rather than later. The only question I have is how they even figured it out that he was here?"

"I don't know. His records are sealed and even though Sesshoumaru is technically a ward of the state and those records can be requested at any point it still has to go through a lot of red tape to get approved. I thought perhaps they could feel his aura but the dampeners in his room prevent that from happening. The only way for them to find out is if someone…"he paused and his eyes lit with surprise.

"Kagome."

"You can't be serious! Kagome would never—"the young man began to protest but was cut off.

"I know she wouldn't do anything willingly but think about it. We all take great care to erase _all_ traces of Sesshoumaru's existence in any way possible when we leave except for Kagome. She has no idea that she needs to conceal his scent from her body when she leaves. She must have walked by one of them at one point and well…here we are now."

"Damnit! This is why I told you that we needed to tell her everything from the beginning. Do you have any idea of the danger that she is in right now?"

"They won't suspect her. To them she is nothing more than an employee here who happens to work closely with the person they are searching for."

"Do you think that will stop them from going after her? They will do everything in their power to get the information out of her or have you forgotten how persuasive their methods can be?"

Onishi stood up and rounded the desk so he was glaring directly at the man sitting across from him, "I will _never_ forget what they are capable of, never! My entire family is gone because of those bastards and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't remember them. Sesshoumaru isn't the only one who lost everything is this war."

"Then it's time for us to stop worrying about what will happen when they come for him and start preparing. I'm tired of waiting. I'm tired of being afraid and I'm tired of hiding in the shadows waiting for the storm to arrive. This war is coming to end; it's just a question of who is going to be left standing when the battle is finished."

Onishi sighed and moved to stare out the window. He was right of course. Many long years of waiting were finally coming to a close and if they didn't act now, there wouldn't be a future for them to look forward to. Squaring his shoulders and narrowing his eyes he turned back to his long time friend with renewed determination.

"Contact what allies we have left and start preparing. Tonight you and I will both go to Kagome and inform her of the situation. Once she's done screaming at us for hiding it from her it is my hope she will join us."

"She will. Kagome's just like that. She doesn't back down from a fight even when it's the smart decision."

"Then go my friend and spread the word."

"What should I say?"

"Tell them that the end is finally here."

**********B**********

Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru paced the room slowly. He was agitated, that much was obvious, but there was something else going on that she couldn't quite put her finger on. The air was…charged with energy and a sense of urgency the likes of which she hadn't felt since the final battle with Naraku. Something was happening and she was at a loss as to what it could be.

She turned to look at Sesshoumaru again and noticed that he had stopped pacing and was staring at her with great intensity. Cautiously she approached him and reached out for his hand. His grip was crushing but she tried not to let it show.

"What's wrong?" she whispered softly.

"Something is coming," he replied.

"What is coming?"

"I-I do not know but it feels familiar. Something is coming for me, I can feel it."

"Sesshoumaru it's okay. I've told you before that you're safe here. I promised you that I wouldn't let anything happen to you and I meant it."

His slight chuckle gave her pause and she peered at him curiously.

"You fear for this Sesshoumaru's safety but not your own? You are a curious human."

"What is there for me to be afraid of? I'm not afraid of what's out there or what you think might be coming. Whatever it is I'll face it head on."

His eyes softened a touch at her words, "You remind me of _her_ more than you realize. She too was unafraid of what could happen. I often wish that she had been more afraid. If she had been, perhaps she would have fled when the fighting reached the steps of our home."

"You said yourself that there was no way of knowing what was happening. You had no idea that there were spies in your house and that the enemy had advanced without your knowledge."

"But I _should_ have known."

"Even you can't know everything that is happening at every moment Sesshoumaru."

"Hn."

Kagome rolled her eyes and glanced down at her watch. It was nearly lunch time and she had to admit that she was hungry.

"Will you be alright if I step out to grab something to eat? I won't be long."

"We will be fine without you for an hour woman," he snipped before he dismissed her with a wave. He said something to the wall next to him before he retreated to his favorite corner. He slid down the wall until he landed on the floor with a loud thud. His eyes stared at nothing for a moment before they lowered to the ground.

She didn't say anything on her way out the door but the lone tear that rolled down his cheek was enough for her to tell that he was slipping backward again.

As she walked down the hall to the elevator, Kagome's mind was searching for her next course of action in regards to the demon. They were so close but yet so far at the same time. There had to be something missing from his past that she just hadn't touched on. Shrugging her shoulders and deciding to think on it later, Kagome stepped on the elevator and headed for her office.

Once inside, she plopped down on her couch and closed her eyes. She was tired. More tired than she remembered being in a very long time. Sleep was apparently something that was a luxury rather than a necessity. Ever since the police questioned Sesshoumaru she hadn't been able to sleep well. Things felt different and she was having a hard time figuring out just what it was that had her nerves on edge. Naturally, she was worried about Sesshoumaru's future and what was going to happen if the police managed to get their hands on him but there was something else. A sense of foreboding the likes of which she hadn't felt since her days hunting Naraku was slowly seeping into her mind.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the ring of her cell phone. She rose from her spot on the couch and was surprised to see that her mother was calling.

"Hello?"

"Hello Kagome dear, how are you?" her mother's bright voice answered on the other end.

"I'm alright Mama, how are you? Is everything alright? You never call me during the day."

"Everything is fine I was just curious as to how you were. I haven't seen you in ages and your brother said that he hasn't heard from you either.''

Kagome sighed. She felt bad for neglecting her family but her duty to Sesshoumaru came first.

"I know, I'm sorry. Things are…well they're getting difficult and I've had to focus everything I have on Sesshoumaru's recovery."

"I understand that you're dedicated to helping him become who he once was, Kagome, but that shouldn't take precedence over yourself. You sound exhausted."

"I am Mama, I am. Sometimes I wish I could just take a vacation and get away from it all for a little while. Then I remember that he needs my help and I just…I can't."

"Why don't you come over for dinner tonight? Your brother is supposed to stop by and we could sit down as a family and then you and I can talk. He'll never admit it, but your brother misses you."

Kagome smiled. Perhaps she could get away from it all, even if it was just to visit with her family for a little bit.

"I'd like that. I'll stop by after work."

"We'll eat around 6:30. I'll make your favorite."

"Thanks Mama."

"Of course. Kagome?"

"Yes Mama?"

"I love you."

"I love you too mom. I'll see you tonight."

Kagome hung up the phone and smiled again. Hopefully she would be able to leave early and change before she headed over to the shrine. The thought of her mother's home cooking had her stomach protesting and reminding her that she needed to eat lunch.

As she sat at her desk and munched on the bento box she prepared that morning she felt different. Maybe all of the things she had been feeling lately were due to her exhaustion.

Maybe, things were going to be better.

**********B*********

"I'm telling you the girl knows something!" Kasumi growled.

"And I am telling you to let it go. She is insignificant to the plans at hand."

"You weren't in that room. You didn't feel the power coming from her. I believe she is a miko."

"Ridiculous. There hasn't been a miko of true power in over 500 years since the Shikon Miko and even if she does possess holy power it is unlikely that she knows how to use it. Humans in this day and age are so ignorant of everything that goes on around them."

"And what if you're wrong?" Kasumi countered.

"If, and I highly doubt it, but if I am wrong then she will be dealt with like the others. Now, what of this Onishi? "

"He was more difficult to read. He is very controlled and doesn't allow his emotions out in the open. I took the time to read up on him. He's a brilliant psychologist who has helped many patients recover. He graduated at the top of his class from Tokyo University. He is unmarried and lives alone. I could find nothing on his family or relatives and nothing of his life before he started working for the asylum."

"Interesting. We need eyes and ears inside those walls Kasumi. See if you can get some of our people stationed inside as orderlies. "

"Yes milord. Is there anything else?"

"Have our people follow Onishi and this Higurashi Kagome."

"I thought you weren't concerned about her."

"I am not. But, we might as well learn how much she has discovered. It could prove useful."

Kasumi bowed and left the room leaving the man behind to his thoughts. 400 years of planning his revenge had all come down to this. He never imagined that he would find the ultimate target wrapped up nicely in a jacket and ready to be delivered whenever he wanted. He had almost given up hope that the former lord of the west would ever be found. He would have remained lost had it not been for that woman.

He couldn't believe it when he walked passed her on the street; there was no mistaking the scent that was permeating from her body. He would know the scent of that insufferable dog demon anywhere. He almost stopped her right then and there to ask her where he was but he refrained. Obviously she had no clue what he was or she would have taken greater care to hide it from the world.

Demons weren't supposed to exist in the modern world and that was exactly how he preferred it. They were clueless to the dangers that walked the streets with them every day. Everything was coming together better than he ever planned.

He wished that they had been able to kill the dog years ago but he disappeared before they had the chance. The attack on the western fortress was well thought out and planned but they had no way of knowing that Lord Sesshoumaru would retreat into hiding. They expected him to fight, to retaliate but he simply vanished.

Truly he didn't understand it. The worthless bitch that he mated was nothing special and he honestly never understood why Lord Ryuunosuke pursued her so earnestly. But he if he was true to himself he never understood many of the things that his father did. The fool allowed his jealousy to consume him so much that it eventually took his life.

For hundreds of years he was angry with his father for wasting away to nothing while he yearned for the love of a dead woman. It was true that, perhaps he had been too forward when he ordered the attack on the western fortress but it was for his father's own good. If that damn female had only complied with his demands and left the castle she probably wouldn't have died. Well at least not right away. He had to admit that he relished in taking her life and the life of her pups but he didn't know that his father would shun him for it.

The love struck fool.

He could have ruled the world with Sesshoumaru out of the way but instead he chose to exile himself. He died a simpering fool and Kuragari was happy to end his suffering. It was easy to make it look like his father had taken his own life and easier still to have everyone accept his rule. With his father out of the way he could continue the original mission; to rule the world. The west had long been the last stronghold to be breeched and few believed it possible with Sesshoumaru still ruling. When he disappeared it was assumed that the west would fall. Unfortunately, the western army was stronger than he realized and they were forced to retreat.

Kuragari waited for the time when the world was ready to accept his rule and the time had finally come.

Soon, very soon, the world would be his. Sesshoumaru would be dead and the Kami themselves would tremble at his feet.

A dark smile crossed his lips at the thought. He couldn't wait for the fun to begin.

**********B**********

Kagome stood on the other side of the room observing Sesshoumaru carefully. He was agitated worse than before she went to lunch and she didn't understand why. Granted, she rarely understood the things he did or said but when you are dealing with someone who is completely insane it's expected.

"Sesshoumaru?" she called out softly.

He glared in her direction for a moment before turning away from her.

"Sesshoumaru talk to me."

"Leave," he told her sharply.

"We've been through this before. I'm not just going to abandon you because you tell me to."

"I will not tell you again. Leave. Now."

"No."

"Woman, you try my patience. "

"Good. Someone has to."

Before she could blink, Sesshoumaru was standing before her completely feral and growling.

"Do you think this is a game? Do you think that I don't know what you are doing? You are working for _them_ and you have been since the beginning! You think you can destroy me?! I am the great Lord Sesshoumaru!" he roared.

He had her backed into the corner and before she could stop herself, she slapped him hard across the face. She made sure to add a touch of power just to make sure he felt it.

"Snap out of it!" she yelled.

He stumbled backward and fell to the floor hard. He looked dazed and confused for a moment before he looked up into her face.

"F-forgive me. I…"

"It's alright, I understand. But what you need to understand is that I am here to help you."

"I know," he replied quietly.

Kagome sighed and sat on the floor in front of him and placed her hands over his. He flinched but made no move to pull away.

"Why don't we call it a day, hm? I think we've both had enough and I don't know about you but I'm tired."

Sesshoumaru nodded before he stood and moved to lie down on his bed.

Once she was certain he was comfortable and relaxed she turned to leave.

"Miko," he called to her.

"Yes?"

"When it happens, know that it was not your fault and that there was nothing you could do."

She turned to him and gave him a questioning look.

"When what happens?"

"You will know soon enough. The Lady has shown me the future."

"And what does the future hold for us Sesshoumaru?"

He stared at her before his eyes took on a softer, almost sympathetic look. It was something she had never seen from him before. For once, she didn't want to know what his answer was going to be but before she could step out of the room he spoke.

"Death."

**********B**********

_Death_. Kagome tried not to let Sesshoumaru's words bother her but she couldn't help it. His cryptic warning along with the things she had been feeling had her completely on edge. She left work shortly after and was going to go home with the intention of relaxing before she went over to visit her mother and brother but her nerves were so completely frazzled that she called her mother to cancel dinner. Her mother hadn't been happy but understood none the less. Kagome promised that she would come by for a visit soon and for now it was enough to placate her.

She sat on her couch with the door locked and every single light on. She didn't bother making herself something to eat because she knew she wouldn't be able to take a single bite. She tried to focus on the television but her mind kept wandering to that one, simple word.

_Death._

What did he mean by it? Did he mean that he was going to die? Was she? Were they both going to die?

Kagome stopped before she gave herself a heart attack. What the hell was she so worried over? He had no way of predicting that death was coming. Despite her dreams, she didn't believe one bit that he was speaking to his long dead mate. He talked to walls and nothing else. There was no one giving him secret messages about the future and the fact that she believed him made her want to bang her head against the table.

"Stupid Kagome! You're smarter than this! He's trying to scare you off!" she yelled to no one in particular.

Deciding that she needed to completely relax, she drew herself a bath, grabbed her favorite book and settled down in the tub for a good long soak. She was tempted to pour herself a glass of sake but thought better of it.

Two hours later she was comfortable, calm and ready for a good night's sleep. She had just turned down the sheets on her bed when a knock sounded on her door. She looked to the clock and noticed that it was well after 11:00.

She frowned. No one should be visiting her this late at night. Her friends all knew better than to come to her apartment at this hour.

She threw on a robe and went into the living room. She was just about to open the door when there was a momentary spike in the back of her mind that told her to wait.

She backed away from the door and stood silent for a moment. She could hear shuffling and muffled voices coming from the other side but she had no clue what they were saying. Kagome finally decided to test the waters.

"Who's there?" she called out.

"Open the door Higurashi."

Stunned to hear the voice of her boss coming from the other side, she rushed over and opened the door.

Onishi and a man Kagome had never met before breezed by her and quickly shut the door behind them.

"What on earth is going on?"

"Be quiet and don't say anything until we're done."

Onishi nodded to his young companion who then took off and began rummaging through her personal belongings.

"Hey! Now wait just a damned—"

"I said be quiet Higurashi!" Onishi snapped before he too began searching through Kagome's home.

Kagome glared at the two of them and took a seat on one of her dining room chairs; once they were finished with it of course.

After 20 minutes they both seemed satisfied that whatever they were looking for wasn't there. They each pulled out a chair and sat down next to her. It was silent for a few moments before Onishi cleared his throat.

"Forgive us for intruding but we had to be sure," he said slowly.

"Sure of what?" Kagome snapped back.

"That the walls didn't have ears Higurashi."

"What are you talking about?"

Onishi sighed. It was now or never. He had to tell her the truth before things got even more dangerous than they already were.

"Let me begin by saying that everything that we have done up until this point has been for your protection and was not meant in any way to offend you. Do yo understand?

"My protection? Onishi-sensei what is going on?"

Onishi looked to his companion who nodded and urged him to go on.

"I know what Sesshoumaru is Kagome and I know who you really are as well."

For a moment, Kagome forgot how to breathe but she managed to recover nicely.

"What do you mean, what Sesshoumaru really is? He is just a man. As for myself? I am Higurashi Kagome. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Wrong. You are and always will be the Shikon Miko and Sesshoumaru will always be Lord Sesshoumaru, ruler of the western lands. He is a demon who was once so feared that the mere mention of his name was enough strike fear into the hearts of his enemies."

Kagome didn't realize she had stood up until she nearly fell over. If not for the steady hand of Onishi's companion she certainly would have toppled to the floor. There had to be a mistake. There was no one left alive, save Sesshoumaru that knew who she really was. Demons didn't exist anymore or she would have felt their presence a long time ago.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Demons are the stuff of myths and legends Onishi-sensei. As for to your claim of me being this Shikon Miko, I think you listened to too many stories told to you as a child. My own grandfather used to tell me those stories but none of them are true." she countered.

"Demons are very real Higurashi and the stories your grandfather told are true. He had firsthand knowledge of what happened because he lived it through you."

"I think perhaps that you have been drinking Onishi-sensei and I don't appreciate being woken up to hear stories and fables told to frighten children."

At that, Onishi's companion snorted. Both individuals turned to look at him before he shrugged his shoulders.

"I told you she would take it this way," he said with a laugh.

Kagome stared at the young man before a bit of recognition seeped into her mind.

"You…I know you. You were the man who bumped into me at the infirmary and…and you're also the man who broke into my apartment!"

"Guilty as charged but it doesn't really matter," he replied.

"You're also the man who gave me that warning at the shrine aren't you?"

He nodded.

"What warning?" Onishi growled.

"It doesn't matter now. Keep going."

Onishi sighed but didn't protest. He would deal with his friend later once this was over with.

"Kagome please just listen to me for a moment. Everything that I have told you tonight is completely true and you know it. You know it to be true because you lived it. You travelled to the past through an ancient well on your family's shrine. It was you who shattered the Shikon no Tama and then searched for the shards. You and your group of friends consisting of a monk, a demon slayer, a Neko youkai, a fox kit and a dog eared hanyou fought and destroyed Naraku before he could cover the world in his foul darkness."

"I don't—"

"Please, don't play stupid Kagome. You might be wondering how I know all of this, ne? The answer is that I have heard your tale since I was a young man growing up in the far reaches of the western land. Your story is known to many. But more importantly I know this because it was told to me in person by Lord Sesshoumaru himself on a summer night over 400 years ago."

Kagome sat back in her chair and stared ahead in disbelief. Her mentor, the man she tried so hard to please with everything she did was…a demon. It couldn't be true! She would know if he was a demon but she felt nothing from him. He felt like your everyday, average human being. How was it possible?!

"Who are you really? If what you say is true and I really am the Shikon Miko, why is it that I can't sense your aura?" she questioned.

"You cannot sense it because demons have learned to repress it and conceal our true selves. There are hundreds of us that still walk the earth to this day and the humans know nothing about it."

"You didn't answer my first question."

At that Onishi smiled, "You're right I didn't. My name is Osamu and I am the last living member of my race of demons."

Kagome's eyes widened before she sat back carefully.

"You…you are…"

"Correct. Chiyoko, Sesshoumaru's mate, was my sister."

Kagome closed her eyes and tried to order her thoughts. This man…no this demon was one of the last individuals to see Sesshoumaru before he lost his mind. He also said that he was the last of his kind. That meant that his mother, father and all of his siblings were dead. He was alone in the world and her heart cried for him.

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry for what happened to them. To all of them. I don't know how you've managed to stay alive being so alone for as long as you have."

"I haven't been completely alone. There are many who are loyal to the west and its Lord," Onishi replied with a nod to his companion.

"And just who might you be?" she asked the younger man.

"That's a silly question Kagome and really I'm surprised you haven't figured it out by now."

She thought for a moment before the answer came to her. She lifted her eyes and the tears began pouring down her face.

"Shippou—"

"Don't start crying. I hate it when you cry."

But cry she did. She couldn't help herself. Kagome launched herself out of her chair and into the arms of her now grown up friend. Of all the demons from her past, besides Sesshoumaru, that she expected to see, Shippou definitely wasn't one of them. For a moment all she could do was sit there and let him hold her.

When she had calmed down some, Shippou sat her back down in her chair so Onishi could get on with his story.

"I promise when things calm down a little we'll catch up." Shippou said with a smile.

Kagome nodded and turned her attention back to Osamu.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner and why are you telling me now?"

"As you know, Sesshoumaru disappeared after he returned home and found his family brutally murdered. We thought he was dead. Everyone thought he was dead. We believed he was so beset by his grief that he took his life. Despite the fact that he is a pompous, arrogant stubborn asshole, he loved my sister very much. He loved his children more than anything and without them he became a man with no reason to live. The war didn't end the way that you might have heard. The fighting continued for many years until what remained of the western army, led by what remained of my family drove them back but it wasn't without further casualties.

The southern house tracked down the members of my house and slaughtered them almost as brutally as they did my sister. The only reason I survived because I wasn't there when it happened. I was patrolling the boarders and word was sent to me that they had perished."

"I'm sorry." Kagome said softly.

"It was a long time ago and nothing can be done about that now. I come now to present day. Imagine my surprise when I get a phone call about a man with strange markings all over his face that had been found hiding in the mountains. I used every favor I could think of to have him transferred to my facility. When they brought him through the door I damn near fell on the floor. After all of these years I couldn't believe he was alive but he was. He obviously wasn't himself and he probably would have stayed that way if you hadn't come along. It's no surprise, Higurashi that you were picked for the most coveted job of all psychologists in Japan."

"You planned it that way? You made sure that I was the one to take the job."

"Precisely. I needed you close and I knew, deep down that you would be able to reach Sesshoumaru when no one else has been able to. Things were progressing exceptionally until the visit from the police."

"That wasn't a police officer was it?" she asked.

"No she was most definitely a police officer but she is also a demon who is in league with Lord Ryuunosuke."

"How did they find out he was there?"

"I'm afraid that you are responsible for that Kagome."

"But I would never say anything about him! You know that!" she cried.

"Calm down Kagome. We know you would never do it willingly," Shippou began.

"We all take the necessary steps to cover our scents when we leave. However you didn't believe that there were any other demons alive in this time so you didn't feel there was any need. From what we can surmise you must have walked by one of their operatives and from there they began following you. That is why we were so cautious when we entered your home tonight. We had to be absolutely sure that they can't hear our conversation."

"But if they already know he's alive, what difference would it make now?"

"Kagome, they are dangerous and will stop at nothing to see Sesshoumaru dead. If they realize who you are and your connection to him they will do anything in their power to use you as leverage against us." Shippou interrupted.

Kagome stood again and walked to the window. This was all so much to take in, in such a short amount of time. If they had told her sooner she would have been more careful. She turned to look at them but they both seemed to know exactly what she was thinking.

"They would have found him eventually, you just helped them along." Onishi said.

"So…what do we do?" She asked

"For now nothing. We are waiting to gather what remains of our allies before we can truly form a plan. Sesshoumaru is safe for the time being and if you continue to work with him I believe that he will recover. He will never be who he once was but anything is acceptable compared to how he was."

Kagome nodded before she sat back down again. It was obvious that she wasn't going to get much sleep, if any at all, tonight and she decided it was best if they got everything out in the open before the morning.

The group was so focused on their discussion that they never noticed the crow that flew off Kagome's windowsill shortly after midnight.

It flew and flew until it landed on the bottom steps of a shrine. After a flare of energy a beautiful woman stood in place of the crow.

Kasumi slowly made her way up the steps of the shrine while relaying the conversation she spent over an hour listening to.

"And here I thought she was just a simple human. Perhaps I should have listened to you Kasumi." Kuragari said from the other end.

"Perhaps but now that we know, what do you intend to do about it? If the Shikon Miko joins the battle we will all be destroyed."

"See to it that she does not get involved. Do whatever it takes."

"It will be done." Kasumi replied as she silently crept up the stairs.

When she reached the top she smiled.

They were inside; she could feel them and they had no idea that she was there.


End file.
